Rasha & the Fortress of Doom
by Teefa and Co
Summary: Parody of Lufia & the Fortress of Doom. When an evil force attempts to return to wreak havoc on the world, it's up to the descendant of a hero and his friends to destroy it. LR, MI. All flames will be ignored.
1. Prologue

In the Distant Past. . .  
  
A mysterious island suddenly appeared in the sky one day, high above the ocean. Four godlike beings went and claimed its awesome power for their own. Many people say that it was, in fact, those four who raised the isle in the first place, in order to attack human kind.  
  
The wicked ones were called Sinistraels. They possessed the horrific powers of Destruction, Chaos, Terror and Death. These beings named their island Doom Island, and the castle that sat in its center was called the Fortress of Doom.  
  
But all hope was not lost. One man stood against those demons to protect the world. He was the fiery haired warrior named Maxim. In his hands, he held the legendary Spirit Sword Sargus, the only blade that could disrupt the Sinistrael's energy. At his side stood his wife, the sorceress Selan. Also fighting with him were the swordsman Guy, and a squirrel warrior named Artea.  
  
Together, the four took a flying ship called Excerion and headed for the Fortress of Doom. Once there, they sought out the four Sinistraels, and killed them. But Selan was mortally wounded in the battle. Her last words were a wish, to stand with Maxim on their land and to hold her infant son one more time.  
  
Suddenly, a glass bridge in the chamber collapsed. Guy and Artea were stuck on the opposite side from their allies. Although Artea could have brought them all to safety with a Warp spell under normal circumstances, the distance between him and Maxim was too far. The young warrior ordered his comrades to escape and spread the news of victory, while he stay to die with his beloved.  
  
Artea and Guy took it upon themselves to travel to the western lands, where Doom Island fell into the sea. With them, they took Selan's aunt and the couple's infant son. If ever another crisis involving the Sinistraels or Doom Island occurred, the only one who could win would be someone of the blood of Maxim. Although the burden would be great, the boy and his descendants needed to carry it.  
  
* * *  
  
Ninety years passed since these events took place. . .  
  
* * *  
  
A redheaded boy with violet eyes runs into the inn. He was about eight- years old, and had on a gray sleeveless tunic, blue breeches, and leather boots. The boy has dirt smudged all over his face and clothing, as if he had been out rolling in it all afternoon. Needless to say, the old innkeeper wasn't too happy about this. He gave the boy a scolding glare.  
  
"Lyle Rehbart Reon," scolds the man, "Where did you go today that you got so dirty?" "Awwww Roman, I just went to the caves to do a little exploring," Lyle whined.  
  
Roman exclaimed, "Lyle! It's dangerous there! I told you never to go out of town by yourself! What if a monster came up and attacked you? You're just a little kid."  
  
Lyle gave his foster grandfather a smile. "It's ok, there's no monsters out there. There hasn't been any since the days when the heroes came from over the ocean with my ancestor, and began to train great warriors to kill them all off."  
  
It often surprised Roman about how much the young boy knew, and how mature he was. His father had been like that too, as had his grandfather - - who had been Roman's best friend in life. The old man assumed it had something to do with the blood of Maxim. Since the descendants of the fallen hero had to carry on his legacy, they were forced to grow up a little too fast. Not that his legacy or having to grow up ever stopped Lyle from getting into trouble.  
  
"Still, if something were to happen to you, your dead mother and father would cry," Roman said, "As would Meria. Do you want to make Meria cry Lyle?"  
  
"No, I don't want to hurt Meria anymore. She's already lost her parents, just like me. Meria doesn't need no more grief," Lyle replied.  
  
You see, there was a war between the Kingdom of Alekia - - where Lyle lives - - and the Kingdom of Sheran - - which lay just beyond the caves. Lyle's parents had fought in the war, but were both killed. But before they died, they had made an arrangement with his mother's best friend that stated that Lyle would marry her daughter when they grew up. In the end, both Lyle and Meria were orphaned at the tender ages of five and six years old. That was two years ago.  
  
Before Roman could say anything else, a young girl entered the inn. She seemed to be about Meria's age - - seven - - and had medium length blond hair and blue eyes. The girl wore a blue sundress, and a pair of sandals. Her cloths were filthy, and she showed signs of hunger and exhaustion.  
  
Roman exclaimed, "By the gods! What happened to you child? Are you hurt? Where are your parents?" But the little girl just hid her eyes, seemingly afraid of what he asked.  
  
Lyle then tried his luck. "Hi, my name is Lyle, what's yours?"  
  
"Rasha," she whispered, "My name is Rasha."  
  
"That's a nice name. Hey Rasha, I want you to meet someone else. She's really nice, and I'm sure you'll both get along just fine. Meria, are you here," he called down.  
  
At once, Meria came down the stairs. She was a young girl with brown hair and blue eyes. Her long sleeved dress was blue, with a white frilled dickie that had an embroidered heart in the middle. The stockings on her legs were white, and she had on black shoes.  
  
Lyle stated, "Rasha, this is Meria. Meria, I'd like you to meet my new friend Rasha. I just know that the three of us will be good friends."  
  
Meria shook Rasha's hand. "Hello, my name is Meria. Let's both be friends."  
  
* * *  
  
This chance meeting by the descendant of Maxim, and the one with the name that means "one touched by death" would forever change the course of history. But nine years would pass before anyone knew exactly what Lyle's role in history would be.  
  
- - - -  
  
This is only the introduction to the epic tale. The reason Rasha's name means "one touched by death" will be explained in the next chapter. Note to all, I really don't care who falls in love with Lyle in any of my fics (a rare occurrence, usually I have a favorite and hang on to it like a lioness to a gazelle). It's just that Rasha fits the part of Lufia the best. My second fic, which I'm currently thinking up ideas for, will be a Rasha/Migel fic. I just can't think of whether I want Fam or Ihrie with Lyle. 


	2. A Boy's Quest

A Boy's Quest  
  
Lyle was heading for his training exercises one fine spring day. He had on a pair of blue breeches with a large red stripe down the front and back, and a sleeveless white tunic. Over that, was a Steel Plate of armor, with Steel Gloves and Steel Boots. Around his forehead was a Steel Band, a Red Ring was on his finger to bolster his power, and he carried a Longsword. The seventeen-year-old boy walked towards the gym, ready for anything.  
  
But to his surprise, there was hardly anybody there. A pair of bored trainees were sitting around, reading some books. But nobody had their swords drawn, let alone was practicing with them.  
  
"What is going on around here?" demanded Lyle, "Why isn't anybody training?"  
  
"Practice was cancelled. Nobody wanted to come, as usual," one stated.  
  
The other replied, "Hey, now that we've given Lyle the message, can we get going? Jack says he's going to chase Yuria around the castle again, and that's always good for a few laughs." Both men then got up and began to walk out of the room."  
  
Lyle caught up with them. "How can you just ignore training? What if a demon attacks, and you don't know what to do? You could get killed, or have someone you love die."  
  
"You still thinking about Meria?" asked one man, "Forget it Lyle, that was a year ago. It wasn't your fault, she never should have followed you out of town in the first place."  
  
Lyle looked down at the ground. You see, he and Rasha both were in training - - him as a swordsman and her as a sorceress. They had gone treasure hunting in the side cave of the one that leads to Sheran. While there, a group of demons had attacked, delaying their return to town. Meria had gotten worried after awhile, and had headed out to find them. That was a mistake. The second the demons saw her, they cut her down. This had enraged both Lyle and Rasha, and they fought even harder in hopes of being able to save their friend. But it was all for naught, as Meria died by the time they got to her. Lyle often blamed himself for failing to protect her, and devoted himself to his training.  
  
"Still, what if those demons had attacked the town?" Lyle inquired.  
  
But neither man paid attention to the young trainee's rambling. Instead, they just walked off to watch the show. Lyle, on the other hand, went to the Priphea fields, in search of Rasha.  
  
Rasha had loved the flower since she was a child. Heck, she loved flowers in general. Lyle remembered the days of her and Meria making daisy chains for all three of them. She said it kept her mind off of her past, which was pretty depressing.  
  
When Rasha was a baby, a hunter found her in a field of Priphea. Her parents were dead, obviously the victims of the demons whose bodies had been found there as well. The man took her home, and named her Rasha. The name meant "one touched by death", and the same prefix was found in the name of the legendary Sinistrael of Death, Rahashina - - Raha, meaning death.  
  
As he thought, Rasha was in the Priphea fields, smelling the flowers. She had on a blue dress-like robe with a red collar and short sleeves called a Mage's Robe, and she had on blue dress shoes. Also equipped on her were a Circlet around her forehead, a pair of Tan Leggings, and some Tan Arms - - kind of like leggings for her wrists. Lyle approached her and said, "Well good morning Rasha."  
  
Rasha looked surprised. "Lyle, aren't you supposed to be at training? You know the commander won't like it if you slack off. And since when do you slack off, anyway?"  
  
"Drill was cancelled," Lyle informed her, "For no reason at all. I don't get it, do they think peace is going to last forever? We need to be strong, in case there's an attack from demons or monsters. What if the Sinistraels suddenly returned to extract their vengeance? With the four heroes either dead or hiding away so we can't be sure if they're still around, who will protect us?"  
  
"You can do it Lyle. Remember, you are a Knight of Alekia, and the blood of Maxim runs in your veins as well. That is enough to protect us. Besides, the Sinistraels are dead. There's no way that they could come back to life suddenly. It's good that you're cautious though," Rasha replied.  
  
Lyle stated, "I guess you're right Rasha. I worry too much. Those demons will never return." Rasha nodded. "Hey, I've got a good idea. How about I make some Cinnamon Tea?"  
  
"Splendid idea Rasha!" exclaimed Lyle, "And maybe a Cinnamon Pie while you're at it. You know, your tea and pie are the best in the entire kingdom. One day you'll be a world-renowned chef with talents like that. I never get enough of your cooking."  
  
Rasha, looking quite pleased with all of the praise she was getting, ran right back to the inn. There, she ran right into the kitchen, and began too cook some pie and boil tea water. Roman looked on, and noticed how happy the young girl seemed.  
  
"Lyle, what did you say to her that got her in such a good mood?" asked Roman.  
  
Lyle answered, "I just told her that her tea and pie is the best in the entire kingdom. She just loves getting praised over something, no matter how small it is."  
  
Roman chuckled. "You spoil that girl a little too much. But you have been friends with her for a long time. I wonder, do you think you might settle down one day and get married?"  
  
Lyle blushed. It was true, that he had been examining his feelings for Rasha for some time now. She was the only person in town out of his whole unwarranted fan club who actually cared when Meria died. Everyone else just saw it as an opportunity to get Lyle as her boyfriend, but Rasha had let him grieve. It wasn't until recently that she became a little more assertive of her feelings for him.  
  
"Did you hear?" asked a man sitting at the table nearby, "Monster invaded Sheran."  
  
"Aren't the knights going to check it out?" inquired his companion.  
  
The first replied, "You know our two countries never got along well. Besides, the Alekian army is too lazy to head on out to battle. Not unless the king screams at them with a bullhorn."  
  
Instantly, Lyle forgot all about tea and pie. All he heard was that some people were in danger. So he ran right out of the inn, and started off down the road to Sheran.  
  
- - - -  
  
Told ya I'd tell you what it meant. Fantasy characters sometimes have meanings to their names, so I thought I'd do it too. Lufia really did cook all of that stuff in the game, just so's you knows. I chose the actors based on personality for once, as I didn't care about who got stuck with who. Most of the time, I have to re-write someone's part to make them fit (see the future parody of Vandal~Hearts starring the Slayers Cast for a good example, namely the role played by Lina). And the ages come from the game, not the show, as I don't know all of the ages, only estimates. 


	3. Mystery of Destruction

Mystery of Destruction  
  
Lyle was running as fast as he could towards the caves to Sheran. He didn't like seeing other people suffer, so he had to get there fast. Soon, he'd arrived at the tunnel that led through the mountain. Making sure he was completely equipped, he entered the cave.  
  
'Sure is dark in here,' mused Lyle, 'I sometimes wish I knew a little sorcery. That way, I can create light for myself like Rasha does. Oh gods, Rasha! I left her back at the inn baking a pie. When I get back to Alekia she's going to be so mad at me. Better start thinking of a good excuse.'  
  
He spent the rest of the trip trying to figure out something that might make Rasha believe him. Finally, he decided to just tell her the truth. Lyle had never meant to hurt her feelings, his Maxim blood sometimes spoke a little too clearly about what it wanted to do. She would understand that excuse.  
  
* * *  
  
No amount of training could ever prepare him for what he saw in Sheran. Almost every house was on fire, and people were all lying unconscious in the street. But the strange thing was that no one had been killed. Who would attack and destroy this town, but spare everyone's lives.  
  
"I'd better go back to Alekia right away. We'll have to send a full detail in to investigate this incident, right away. I've got to make the commander believe that," he stated.  
  
With that, he ran away from the town, and back through the caves. In no time, the youth had arrived back home. He instantly ran to give his report to their commander.  
  
The commander asked, "The situation in Sheran is that serious? I guess we'll have to send a detail in to check it out and begin the recovery efforts."  
  
Lyle smiled. "How soon will you be able to send us?"  
  
"Well," the commander said, "The chairman is in Lorbenia, and won't be back until next week. Then, we have to arrange a meeting, where the members of the detail will be decided."  
  
'This is stupid. I might as well go back alone to investigate,' thought Lyle.  
  
But the first thing he did was to go and see Rasha. He knew she would be pretty mad at him for running off, and needed to assure her that it was all right. Lyle found his friend in her bedroom.  
  
Rasha asked him, "What do you want? You know I'm still angry at you."  
  
Lyle stepped forward. "You see, some monsters invaded Sheran, and I had to go to stop them. But I found nothing there when I arrived, nothing but burnt out homes and people who were wounded but not to the point that they would die. So I came back to arrange a detail, but the commander wants to wait until next week to even think about it, as the chairman is out. I've got to go back to Sheran on my own, so don't worry. I'll be back before you know it Rasha."  
  
"You could have at least stayed for some pie," Rasha stated, "I made it special for you. How about we have some now, it's cooled down by this time."  
  
"You can cook pie anytime. People's lives were at stake. I'm sorry Rasha, but you know how the blood of Maxim gets whenever danger is near," Lyle told her.  
  
Rasha told him, "Well, I guess there's nothing I can say to stop you. Tell you what Lyle, I'll pack the pie in a bag, and you can take it with you to eat on the way. And I'll go with you as well. If those lazy knights aren't willing to come and help you out, I will."  
  
Lyle looked shocked. "Rasha, it's too dangerous. You could be hurt or killed out there, and you make it sound like it's some sort of picnic. I don't want to see you die on me too, Rasha."  
  
"Lyle, I know how you feel," she whispered in a sincere voice, "You feel that it was your fault that Meria died, and you now want to protect me even more. It wasn't your fault Lyle. I know it must hurt, but there are just some things that we mortals can't do. Unfortunately, saving Meria was one of them."  
  
"Thank you Rasha. It's all right. I know that I have to hear that sometimes, or I'll never get out of this limbo I'm in. You've been a true friend to me," Lyle replied.  
  
Rasha asked, "So, can I come along and help you? You might need my magic to fight these monsters, if they turn out to be strong. You know I'll always watch your back."  
  
Lyle looked at his best friend. "Ok, you can come along. But stick close behind me. I don't want to see you get hurt out there. Don't worry, I'll protect you Rasha."  
  
"Then let's get going!" she exclaimed, "There's no time to waste, not with lives at stake."  
  
Rasha walked over to a drawer, and took out a long Wood Rod. This staff helped the young girl concentrate when she used her magic. It was also a good way of boinking monsters over the head if they tried to strike her from the front. Then, the duo was off to Sheran.  
  
* * *  
  
Inside of the caves, Rasha brought up her Light spell. Using that power, they began to search around. A little while into the tunnel, they found a wounded man, lying on the ground.  
  
"What happened to you? And why are you even here in the first place?" inquired Lyle.  
  
The man told them, "My name is Danil, and I come from Chatam Village. My sister, Lilah, works at Sheran Castle. But there's a rumor that monsters attacked, and I headed out to find her. Along the way, I was attacked, and that's how I got to where you see me now."  
  
Rasha began casting her Strong spell on Danil, to heal his wounds. "Well, my friend and I are heading there ourselves, to check up on what is going on. How about we find Lilah for you. You certainly can't go there in this condition, even after I healed you."  
  
"Thank you," Danil said, "Take this key, Lilah uses it in the castle. Luckily she left it home today on accident, or we might never be able to find them, if they've locked themselves into a secret room."  
  
With that, he began to head back to Chatam, to rest up his wound. Lyle and Rasha, on the other hand' pressed on. Neither knew what dangers were lurking in the shadows, waiting for them.  
  
- - - -  
  
We meet the destroyer in the next chapter. Who will it be? Is he as evil as he seems? Or are the wheels of time again spinning, to bring disaster to this world? 


	4. Mission Decided

Mission Decided  
  
Once the two arrived in Sheran, they headed for the castle. A search of every room showed no signs of the king, or his associates. But in the throne room, there was a locked door. When Lyle used the key and went inside, he found a switch. After he pulled it, a distant noise was heard.  
  
"That sounded like a hidden room opening," Rasha mused, "It must be where the king and his retainers are. Let's go find it Lyle." She grabbed his hand and began to run off.  
  
Lyle smiled at her. He had never seen Rasha this excited about something other than flowers and cooking. What had he said to her to get her this happy?  
  
Soon, they found a staircase that hadn't been there before. Lyle deduced it had been hidden under a trap door, and the switch had moved it out of the way. With that, both of the youths went down the stairs, and found themselves in what appeared to be a prison.  
  
Locked in one of the cells, cowering in fear, was the king. A pair of female servants were there to aid him. But they could do nothing for their lord's nerves, so they just sat there.  
  
"Your Majesty. I am Lyle, a knight from Alekia, and this is my best friend and ally, the sorceress Rasha. I've come to rescue you from whatever attacked here," Lyle stated.  
  
The king yelled, "What are Knights of Alekia doing in Sheran? Are you responsible for this attack? I thought we were at peace, and now you backstab us."  
  
One woman walked forward to calm the king down. "Your Majesty, these people are now responsible. You saw the monsters too, they're the true enemy. These kind people must have come to help us. The times are desperate, we must be willing to accept changes."  
  
"Hard to believe someone would talk to a king like that," stated Lyle, "Must be someone of great importance. Excuse me, is there a Lilah here?"  
  
"My name is Lilah. Did Danil send you to find me?" asked the woman who had chided the king. Rasha replied, "Yes, he did. Come, let's get the king to Alekia, where it will be safe. After that, we can take you back to Chatam." She took the key, and opened the cell.  
  
They headed out of the castle. But as they entered the town, a pack of monsters appeared. With them, was a tall man with red hair and eyes. He had on full body steel armor, and carried an extremely large sword in his hand. There was something not quite right about him, and Lyle could easily see it. He turned to Rasha. "Quickly, escape to Alekia with the others. I'll hold this demon at bay."  
  
Although Rasha seemed to be a little skeptical at first, she took one look into Lyle's eyes, and nodded her approval. Then, she and the others started to run. Lyle turned to face the man.  
  
"So, you're the one who destroyed this city," he stated, "How could you do such a thing?"  
  
"Puny knight, I AM EVIL!" exclaimed the man.  
  
Lyle told him, "But now you are messing with me, Lyle Rehbart Reon."  
  
The man laughed at him. "So, Maxim's descendant lives. I thought his brat would die when the island landed on Parcelyte. But I guess that fool managed to stop it somehow."  
  
"How do you know that?" demanded Lyle, "What was Maxim to you?"  
  
"We were enemies, young knight. My name is Raider, the Sinistrael of Destruction. I've waited years for revenge, and now I'll take all of my anger out on you!" he yelled.  
  
Lyle knew now what he had gotten himself into. But he stood his ground anyway, and struck out at his enemy. Raider let him attack blindly for a little bit, before knocking the boy down with his incredible amount of power. Then, he moved in for the kill.  
  
Suddenly, a voice rang out, "Stop this at once!" Then, Rasha ran right across the town, heading for Lyle. She stepped in front of him, blocking with her arms outstretched.  
  
Raider looked taken aback. "You, woman. What are you doing? Willing to give your life for his, eh? You humans and your emotions make me laugh. I certainly wouldn't do that for anyone."  
  
"Maybe that's why your only friends are monsters," Rasha stated, "Now, leave Lyle alone, or I'll hit you with one of my spells that'll knock you into next Tuesday."  
  
"You've gotten lucky today. I'm in a good mood, so I'm going to spare your pathetic life. But remember, Maxim's descendant, the next time we meet, I will kill you and feed your charred remains to my monsters," Raider vowed. With that, he and the monsters disappeared.  
  
Rasha began to heal up Lyle's wounds with her Strong spell. She asked him, "What was that all about? Who was that demon man anyway? Just looking at him gave me the chills."  
  
Lyle let her rest in his arms. "You have a right to be frightened. He said his name was Raider, the Sinistrael of Destruction. And you know what that means."  
  
"Yes," Rasha replied, "It won't be too long before Ramion, Rahashina, and Rugudorull come back to life as well. And that means, you're going to leave on a journey to stop them."  
  
"Don't try and stop me Rasha. This is my destiny," Lyle said.  
  
Rasha told him, "I won't stop you. But I'm not stopping either. You'll need help. Just like Selan gave her magic to Maxim's cause, I will devote mine to yours, Lyle."  
  
"Then where do we go now?" he asked, "I really don't have any leads as to where to go next."  
  
"Well, I've already taken Lilah back to Chatam, so how about we head on down to the port of Treck. We can get passage to Lorbenia, and maybe their army knows something that might be of use to us on our quest," Rasha stated.  
  
So they began heading towards Treck. Determination shone in Lyle's eyes with every step. He would not allow the Sinistraels to destroy the world, unless they did it over his dead body.  
  
- - - -  
  
The whole Parcelyte thing wasn't in the original game, it was part of Lufia 2's ending (the second game was more of a prequel than sequel, as it talked about Maxim's original struggles with the Sinistraels). I just thought that it might be a nice touch to add some history that the original didn't have, as some things were definitely just tacked onto the second game, and hadn't been thought of when the first one came out. Now the adventure begins. What sort of dangers will Lyle and Rasha get into next? 


	5. A Hero's Wish

A Hero's Wish  
  
With only one look back, Lyle and Rasha set out for the port town of Treck. Together, they battled the monsters that inhabited the road with sword and magic. By the time the sun had begun to set, they were just entering the town's gates.  
  
"We should stay for the night," Lyle told Rasha, "And take a boat for Lorbenia in the morning. It won't be safe to travel by dark, and you can reach Lorbenia in about three hours by ship."  
  
"I hope we find a few leads in the city. You know that there probably aren't many people left who remember the Four Heroes," she reminded him.  
  
Just then, an old man asked, "Are you talking about Maxim, Selan, Guy, and Artea?"  
  
Lyle nodded. "Yes, do you know anything about them or the Sinistraels?"  
  
"Why do you ask?" the man inquired, "It's rare to see a youngster who is interested in such things. For what reason do you inquire about Maxim?"  
  
"You won't believe me, but the Sinistraels are about to return," Lyle said.  
  
Rasha added, "Raider attacked Sheran. Lyle fought against him, and barely survived."  
  
The man laughed. "You're pulling my leg kid. There's no way that the Sinistraels are returning to our world. Maxim slew them nearly a hundred years ago."  
  
"Lyle is no liar!" exclaimed Rasha, "He just happens to be the descendant of Maxim."  
  
The man looked the boy over. He saw Lyle's red hair, and brilliant lies. Those were the trademarks of Maxim's appearance. Suddenly, he felt his laughter dying down.  
  
"Ok, I believe you boy. You certainly look like the hero Maxim. Tell you what, I'll help you. I used to be a soldier in the Guy Legion, the personal soldiers of the hero Guy. I want you to go with my niece Ainea to the caves to the west. There's someone who you need to meet," the man stated.  
  
* * *  
  
So the next day, the duo left with the young woman for the caves. She had dark blond hair and green eyes. Ainea knew a little bit of healing magic, but that was about it.  
  
She told them, "In a little bit, we'll come to a locked door. I know the spell to open it, so I'll open it up for you. The person I want you to meet doesn't like just anyone barging in on his privacy. That's why he left the town in the first place. Now stay close, I know the way.  
  
They continued onwards until coming to the door in question. There, the young woman began to concentrate on her spell, while Lyle and Rasha protected her from any monsters that might come by and think her to be an easy target. Soon, the spell was completed, and the doors opened up. Then, all three of them went through them, and headed for the opening in the cave.  
  
Once there, they found a small house. Nearby, Priphea were in full bloom. If it wasn't for the fact that they had to meet the "important person" she would have stopped to smell them.  
  
Ainea went into the house. "There's some people here to meet you. It's extremely important that you speak with them. The fate of the world is at stake here."  
  
"What could be happening that you'd have to include an old man like me?" asked the man, "I've long since retired from fighting and only want to live in peace."  
  
Lyle and Rasha entered the house. There, they found an elderly man with blue eyes, and a slight blond tint in his gray hair. He had on a simple white tunic and yellow pants. But something was different about him. He seemed quite strong for a man of his age.  
  
"What in the name of the gods is this? Maxim, is that you? I thought you died when Doom Island fell down into the ocean. I've missed you, my friends," the man rambled.  
  
Lyle informed him, "I'm sorry sir, my name is Lyle, not Maxim. Maxim is my ancestor. And this girl is Rasha. Who might you be, and what do you know about Maxim?"  
  
The man smiled. "My name is Guy, I fought alongside Maxim during the Battle of Doom Island."  
  
"But how?" asked Rasha, "You should be over one hundred years old."  
  
"Don't be surprised. I've been really good with my health over the years," Guy replied.  
  
Lyle stated, "We need your help Guy. The Sinistraels are about to return. Raider has already attacked the nation of Sheran. Now, I am on a mission to defeat them, and I need to know everything about them, and Maxim, if I am to succeed in my battles."  
  
Guy got up out of his seat. "You can rely on my blade to help you win, Lyle."  
  
"But Guy," Ainea protested, "You know your doctor wants you to watch yourself. For Pete's sake, you're over a hundred years old. That means you're way past your prime. You haven't even touched a sword in forty years. What can you do to help Lyle and Rasha in the upcoming battle?"  
  
"I still have to try. Where is my sword Ainea? I must." but then he just stopped. Suddenly, Guy fell to the floor, having a heart attack. There was nothing anyone could do for him, it was just Guy's time to go. Soon afterwards, he passed away.  
  
Ainea whispered, "You're such a fool Guy. Worrying about fighting when you should be relaxing." She turned to Lyle. "Lyle, I want you to find Artea, the squirrel. They are a long lived race, so he should still be alive. I don't know exactly where he is, but I've heard that someone in Grenoble does."  
  
"Where's that?" asked Lyle, "Is it on this continent?"  
  
"It's west of Lorbenia. You can find a ship in the harbor back in Treck," she replied.  
  
Lyle began to walk off. But Ainea stopped Rasha, and told her, "You must go with him. It is true that only the descendants of Maxim can defeat the Sinistraels. But only you can support him. And that is worth much more than any sword or shield."  
  
Rasha nodded. "I understand. I'll never leave Lyle's side." With that, she began to follow him back through the cave, heading back towards Treck.  
  
- - - -  
  
We're going to meet one of the other characters in the next chapter. You'll see who then. 


	6. Ship Search

Ship Search  
  
When they arrived back in town, Lyle and Rasha headed for the harbor. There, they not only saw the last trading ship left in the port - - the monsters had destroyed the rest - - but a military ship as well. Two soldiers were standing nearby. One was a teenage boy with brown hair and eyes. He had on some light armor, and held a sword in his hand. The second was a twenty three-year-old man with sandy blond hair and stormy eyes. He had on Steel Armor, along with Steel Gauntlets, Steel Helm, and a Steel Leg Guard. A Green Ring was on his finger, and he carried a Broadsword. Under the armor were a gray tunic, yellow breeches, and a green cloth belt with white cloth hanging down the front and back.  
  
"Excuse me," he motioned to Lyle, "Do you have a minute? My name is Migel, a commander in the Lorbenian Army. We're here to conduct an investigation into recent monster activity. I would like to ask if you have any information about the attack that happened on Sheran."  
  
"Sure I can give you information. My name is Lyle, and I fought against the monsters that attacked the town. Rasha backed me up as well," Lyle told him. It wouldn't do any good to mention the Sinistraels, some people would run away screaming if they heard that.  
  
Migel said, "Let's go to my cabin and talk more about this. You two will be my guests of honor."  
  
Suddenly, a group of monsters ran into the port and stole the trading ship. Another group ran at the army's boat, and burned it to the ground. Then they turned to face the humans who were standing nearby. Lyle and Migel brought up their weapons.  
  
Rasha stepped forward. "Everyone, I'm going to hit them with a spell. Then you two can come and back me up while they're recovering. Ready. . .Dew."  
  
Droplets of water began to hit the monsters, knocking them backwards. Lyle and Migel took advantage of the situation and cut two of them down. The third fell to Rasha's staff. Finally, Lyle struck the fourth one down with his blade. But the others had escaped in the ship.  
  
"Blast, what can we do now?" inquired Rasha, "How will we get to Lorbenia?"  
  
"Don't worry, the Great Migel can help you. We'll just ride my ship over to the city. It's even faster than the trading ship anyway," he bragged.  
  
His subordinate informed Migel, "Sir, the monsters sunk our ship. There's no way for us to get to Lorbenia on it. We'll have to make a new one."  
  
Lyle looked shocked. "But it takes months for a ship to be made from scratch. We don't have months to wait here. Rasha and I need to head for the city of Grenoble immediately."  
  
"We just have to find the one that was stolen," Rasha stated, "It looks like those monsters might have kept it. They fled north, so maybe we can find something if we head that way."  
  
"There's a cave up there, they might have hidden in there," Lyle added. He was talking about the cave that was rumored to hold many monsters. As a boy, he had been told about how Guy and Artea went to seal the demons in a cave leading to an island, hoping to stop them from hurting humans. If monsters were hiding anywhere, that would be the likely place.  
  
* * *  
  
Lyle, Rasha, and Migel headed into the dark cave to the north of Treck. Inside, monsters were trapped by a barrier that let them come in, but not out. It was a secret spell of the squirrel race, used to protect villages around the world. That's why those who did not know of Raider's return to the world were so surprised at monsters attacking Sheran - - and heading into Treck. The barriers should have prevented such an attack from happening.  
  
After some time, the three came to another cave. There, they found themselves on an island in the sea north west of Treck. On the beach, was the missing ship.  
  
Rasha exclaimed, "Lyle, we've found it! Now let's get back to town."  
  
Suddenly, a trio of goblins exited the cave and ran towards the three warriors. Rasha took the opportunity to use Dew on the monsters. Lyle and Migel attacked afterwards. But unlike the smaller beasts that attacked Treck, they weren't out yet.  
  
Migel stepped forward. "Fool, do you think you can defeat me? The Great Migel has killed twenty-five mounted riders while on foot. And I don't think you have a horse to ride, demon scum." 'Is this guy for real?' thought Rasha, 'Or is he just making it up as he goes along?'  
  
With that, Migel charged the enemy. He began hacking the life out of all three goblins at once. Soon, they were defeated, and lying in crumpled heaps on the beach.  
  
"Let us take the ship and return to town. Maybe we can catch a ride to Lorbenia from there," Lyle stated. Then, the trio got on board, and Migel began to drive.  
  
* * *  
  
When the captain saw them, he said, "Thank you for returning my ship. If you need anything, I would be happy to do it for you. Like, is there somewhere you want to go? I can take you there."  
  
Lyle looked at the man. "Well, we need a ride to the city of Lorbenia. Rasha and I are on an important journey, and Migel needs to get back to the army."  
  
"Say no more," the captain told them, "Just get on board. My ship is the fastest there is in the whole port. Well, that was when there were more ships in the port, and we could rate the speed of ships in comparison to one another, but she still is."  
  
Lyle, Rasha, and Migel got onto the ship. Then, they watched as the ship began to pull away from the docks. Soon, it was on its way to the city of Lorbenia.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we're on our way to the city in the next chapter. Uh, I've got nothing to say. Hate it when that happens. 


	7. Thieves & Allies

Thieves & Allies  
  
While on the ship, Migel approached Lyle. The young warrior had been looking out over the sea, watching the waves go by. He was thinking about how he would be able to deal with Raider.  
  
"Lyle, what happened in Sheran?" he asked, "It doesn't sound like something that an ordinary monster can do. How did they get into the city in the first place?"  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Lyle replied.  
  
Migel said, "I'll believe whatever you say. You're not the type to lie. So tell me what happened. I think I can take it. Who was it, and why did they attack the city?"  
  
Lyle took a deep breath. "The Sinistrael Raider has returned. He attacked the city, and set fire to the homes. But he didn't kill anyone, only wounded them. Why would that be?"  
  
"I don't know it myself," Migel admitted, "But one thing's for sure, you can't do it on your own. Even one Sinistrael would be too strong for us. I'll ask for help from the army when we get to Lorbenia. It's their duty to protect the people, so they're sure to come along."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived in town, Migel headed to the army barracks. In the meantime, Lyle and Rasha began to go to the local mall. Actually, Rasha went to the mall, Lyle was just being dragged behind her like a piece of baggage. But he didn't resist, he knew that she wouldn't take no for an answer if he tried to complain. So he began to walk, and she stopped dragging him.  
  
On the top floor, Rasha found a sale on dresses. She immediately began to try all of them on. Lyle waited on the side, along with a few other guys who had been dragged into the mall by their sisters, girlfriends, wives, or best friends. All of them looked mildly bored.  
  
"How do I look in this one Lyle? Do you think it's me?" inquired Rasha. She had come out of the dressing room in a beautiful red dress, with sequins all over it.  
  
Lyle told her, "It's nice, but how much does it cost?" He took one look at the price tag, and looked quite shocked. "25,000 Gold, no way. You can buy Plated Mail for that much. That's a little too much out of our price range at the moment, we are on a mission here. And I don't think an evening gown is going to do any good if we run into Raider again. You need armor, not fashion."  
  
"I know it's expensive," Rasha said, "But that's why it is so much fun to try them on. It's not like I'll buy any of this stuff, I just want to see what I look like in them.  
  
* * *  
  
After about an hour more of waiting, Lyle finally saw Rasha coming out of the room in her own clothes. Suddenly, a young boy ran right past them, and knocked the girl down. She fell backwards into Lyle's arms. He helped his childhood friend to her feet, and then she began to freak.  
  
"Lyle, the money I had in my purse is gone! That was supposed to be for cooking supplies for our camp. It must have been that kid who knocked me down," she exclaimed.  
  
Lyle stated, "I'll follow him and get back the money for you Rasha." With that, he ran out of the store, and onto the street. There, he saw the kid in question counting gold.  
  
The boy had sandy blond hair, and black eyes. He was wearing a gray tunic, blue breeches, and leather boots. A tan belt was around his waist, and he had on a red band around his head. On the band and belt was what appeared to be fake dog ears and a fake dog's tail.  
  
He laughed to himself. "Hah, that sure was easy. That woman was sure careless with her pocketbook. I wonder if she has any more where that came from."  
  
"Stop right there," ordered Lyle, "You give that money back to Rasha this instant. Why are you taking her money in the first place? Where are your parents?"  
  
The boy looked at him, as if he'd said something to upset him. Suddenly, he threw the money at the man, and ran off. Lyle then got to work to pick up all of the gold, and went back inside the shop. He then gave it back to Rasha, who thanked him greatly.  
  
* * *  
  
They went to the inn that night to stay, while they waited for Migel to bring them news of the army. Both were exasperated about what happened that afternoon, and ready to go to sleep right away. But for some reason, neither wanted to leave the chairs they were sitting on.  
  
"Heard you had some trouble with Gil at the shop," the owner stated.  
  
Lyle asked him, "Who is Gil anyway? What is his story?"  
  
The owner looked at him. "He's the son of the merchant/scientist Galuff Shaia. You see, Galuff goes to some dangerous places, so he leaves his son at home."  
  
"Why does he steal?" inquired Rasha, "Doesn't his father send him money?"  
  
"Well, you see, Galuff's research doesn't pay much money. So he can't send much back to Gil either. They boy then resorts to stealing from people at the mall," he told them.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Migel came over to the inn. He said, "I talked to the army, but they're too afraid to fight against the Sinistraels. So I left. I'm with you guys to the end. Where are we headed?"  
  
Lyle looked at his friend. "Grenoble. There's someone there who knows about the whereabouts of Artea. If we can talk to Artea, we might be able to find some information to help us in the battle."  
  
The three left the town, heading for Grenoble. Lyle wondered if he should tell Migel who he really was. But he forgot all about it, when they had to fight a group of monsters in order to get by. It would be some time before he would get another chance.  
  
- - - -  
  
Told you I needed to make Gil a human. That's the problem with having so little characters in Ruin Explorers. 


	8. Fairy Kiss

Fairy Kiss  
  
Sometime later, Lyle, Rasha, and Migel arrived in the city of Grenoble. Instantly, they began to look around for the man Ainea had told them about. But since they had no idea what he looked like, or how old he was, the group didn't know where to begin.  
  
"This is going to take a long time," stated Rasha, "She should have given us a few more details about who we were looking for. All we know is that the person is male."  
  
"You know that no one is going to come on up to us and say that he has some useful information about Artea. There's a one in a thousand chance of that happening," Lyle reminded her.  
  
Just then, a man asked, "Are you talking about the hero Artea, from Doom Island?"  
  
Lyle nodded. "We heard that someone here knows where he is. Can you help us out in any way? The three of us need his help with something important."  
  
"You're in luck," the man told them, "I just happen to know of an old man who hangs around in the Hunter's Guild all day. He always speaks of his nephew learning under Artea, so maybe he knows something that can be of help to you." Then, the man walked away.  
  
"I guess we managed to beat the odds, eh Lyle?" asked Rasha.  
  
Migel exclaimed, "Then let's go to that Hunter's Guild! I've heard of it, it gives you missions to go on that involve searching for treasure for rewards. I know where it is."  
  
The three took the underground passage that lead to the guild. It cost 50 gold to go in, but Lyle knew that it was important that they go. Besides, they would be able to get their money back and then some from whatever treasure hunt they might go on after heading to the guild.  
  
Inside, they saw an old man sitting at a table, sipping his sake. Lyle walked up to him. "Excuse me sir. Could you perhaps be the one who knows of Artea? My name is Lyle, and I would like to know where the squirrel warrior lives. I am interested in meeting him in person."  
  
"Artea, everyone of my generation knows of Artea," the man replied, "I tell you what. If you can get the Fairy Kiss from the second floor of the Old Cave, I'll tell you what you want to know. Only women can enter the room where it is held, so I can't go myself, but your girl can retrieve it."  
  
"Sure I will. I'll do anything that will help out Lyle," Rasha stated. With that, she began to head on out. But then she had to wait for Migel, who was taking on a job to find a treasure held on the second floor, since they were heading there to find the Fairy Kiss anyway.  
  
* * *  
  
Inside of the cave, they found that many of the treasure boxes were already opened. Migel went the opposite way as his friends, in order to start looking for the Secret Map. Lyle, on the other hand, was accompanying Rasha to the room, so she could save her power for when they arrived.  
  
Once at the room, Rasha stepped forward and told Lyle, "I'll head on in and get the Fairy Kiss. You just wait Lyle, we'll have the information we need soon." With that, she went into the room.  
  
There were many treasures in the room. All of them were women's armor pieces, none that Rasha had any need for. But one at the back of the room contained the legendary Fairy Kiss. She opened the chest, and prepared to head back to meet with Lyle and look for Migel.  
  
Suddenly, a large monster appeared. It was a humanoid dog-like creature called a Kobold. Rasha looked it strait in the eye. She began to charge up the Flash spell - - the easiest Lightning spell to cast. The bolt hit the Kobold, and it died of the shock that followed.  
  
Demonic laughter filled the room, making Rasha cringe. "Well done, little sorceress. Your name is Rasha, right? I think that is what that foolish boy called you when we last met."  
  
"Raider!" she yelled, "Show yourself you coward. Or are you too afraid to fight against someone like me. You did run after I came to help Lyle out while we were in Sheran."  
  
With that, the Sinistrael appeared in the room. His eyes seemed to radiate all of the evil in his body. As he stepped closer to the young woman, she held her ground.  
  
"You're way to strong for your own good. Why don't you come with me? In the past, my allies and I used human servants to do our dirty work. If you decide to join us and serve under us, my brother Rugudorull will spare your pathetic life," he sneered.  
  
Rasha screamed, "Never! I will never desert my best friend for you fiends."  
  
Raider shook his head. "You are a fool. Choosing to die with the boy instead of living as our servant. Just because I'm in a good mood, I'll let you live. But I will show no quarter the next time that we meet, mark my words." With that, he vanished again.  
  
* * *  
  
Rasha left the room, and reunited with the guys. They then headed back to town, where Migel gave the Secret Map to the man at the counter. In return, he was given 200 gold.  
  
"I thank you for your help," the old man stated, "I don't exactly know where Artea is now, but my nephew does. He's training in the tower to the west of here. He doesn't usually want to see people, but he will definitely make an exception if you show him this letter from me." With that, he handed a piece of paper to Lyle. On it, was a letter to the old man's nephew - -Artea's apprentice.  
  
"Thank you for your help," Lyle stated.  
  
The man inquired, "By the way, just why do you want to see Artea anyway?"  
  
Lyle looked at him. "Raider has come back to life. I need his help to defeat him."  
  
"Say no more, I don't need to know what else," the man said, "I don't want a repeat of a hundred years ago. My father was a teenager when it happened, and he remembered it well. If there's any way I can help keep that tragedy from repeating, I will."  
  
"I will make sure that he dies. Before more innocents are hurt," Lyle vowed.  
  
- - - -  
  
Lyle's finally getting on track. Will the apprentice be able to help? See in the next chapter 


	9. The Apprentice

The Apprentice  
  
Lyle, Rasha, and Migel went to the inn to rest for the night. They figured they would head to the tower in the morning, after they were completely refreshed. That way, there was a much better chance of being able to fight off any monsters that the group might encounter along the way.  
  
In the middle of the night, Rasha awoke with a start. She had just had a nightmare where she saw Lyle stab her in the heart with a strange sword. Three shadows were standing behind him, looking like they were there to help the warrior out. One of them was tall and strong like Migel. The second looked to be a long-haired swordswoman. And the third seemed to be a squirrel woman.  
  
'What was that all about?' she wondered, 'Is it a vision of the future? Or a fear in my heart? And who were those people with Lyle? I know Migel must have been one, but what about the other two?'  
  
But no one was there to answer her. The sorceress lay down and tried to get back to sleep. It took her some time, but she was finally able to return to her slumber.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, the three began to head to the tower in the west. Along the way, they encountered a few groups of monsters. All three of them began to dispatch of them instantly.  
  
Even in the tower, there were demons waiting in the corridors. Lyle and Migel began to hack them with their swords, while Rasha used her Flash, Dew, or Bang spells, mattering what types there was or how many monsters were attacking. If she ever ran out of MP, the group had brought Hi-Magic items back in Grenoble. In order to save in MP, the boys were using Hi- Potions instead of her healing spells.  
  
After traveling through what seemed like an endless number of corridors and countless flights of stairs, the group made it to the top floor. There, they found a door to another room in the center of the large chamber. Lyle opened it, and they all went in.  
  
There, they saw a young man with brown hair, training with his sword. Nearby, Lyle spotted a bow and a quiver of arrows. A target was set up on one side of the room for target practice.  
  
"Excuse me, are you the one who was the apprentice of Artea?" inquired Lyle.  
  
The man said, "Yes, I am. But why do you ask me that question? Looking for a mentor?"  
  
Lyle shook his head. "I am searching for Artea. You see, I would like to meet with him and talk to him. So where does he live now? Please, it is truly important."  
  
"I cannot tell you that," the man replied, "How can I trust you? You might be out to kill him for whatever reason. There's no way I would put my master in such danger."  
  
"Lyle never lies! How dare you accuse him of such?!" yelled Rasha, clearly annoyed.  
  
Lyle said, "My name is Lyle Rehbart Reon. I am the descendant of Maxim."  
  
Migel's jaw dropped to the ground. "You mean the hero of Doom Island Maxim? The man who wielded the legendary Sargus into battle against the Sinistraels. Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"It never seemed necessary to bring it up," stated Lyle, "I didn't want to sound like I was bragging or something. After all, not everyone has the luck of being a hero's descendant."  
  
"Maybe you are his descendant. But how can I be sure?" the man asked.  
  
Lyle told him, "I don't care if you believe me or not. But the Sinistraels are about to return. I need to speak to Artea on the subject. He's the only one of the four heroes left now."  
  
The man looked him in the eye. "You don't appear to be lying. But I still need to test you. If you are truly Maxim's descendant, you will be able to defeat me without any problems."  
  
Lyle nodded. He pulled his sword out of his sheath, and pointed it at the other man. The apprentice also brought out his weapon, and the battle began.  
  
The apprentice leapt forward at Lyle, swinging his mace. But Lyle jumped out of the way, and the mace only hit the ground. Then Lyle swung the sword, knocking the man's helmet off.  
  
"You aren't half bad, for a kid your age," he admitted, "But I still will be able to defeat you. Prepare to die boy." With that, he charged the young swordsman again.  
  
"Just because I'm young, it doesn't mean that I can't win. Remember, I'm in the prime of my life, the age range between fifteen and twenty-five. That's the age where we have the most energy to spare, and the best speed I will ever be able to achieve," he reminded the apprentice.  
  
Lyle caught the mace's chain with his sword blade. He began trying to fend off his opponent, who was pushing him towards the ground. But Lyle eventually pushed him backwards.  
  
Rasha began yelling, "Get him Lyle, knock him to the ground. You can do it Lyle. Fight!"  
  
Migel sweatdropped. "Calm down Rasha. He's doing ok for himself. Why do you have to keep yelling? My ear is beginning to ache from all of this."  
  
"Can't I cheer on my best friend," she chided, "Just leave me alone stupid." To illustrate her point, Rasha stepped on Migel's foot, and he began hopping around in pain.  
  
Suddenly, Lyle saw an opening in his enemy's defense. He ran at him, and knocked him to the ground. When the apprentice looked up, he saw Lyle's sword pointing at his throat.  
  
"You win boy. You truly are Maxim's descendant. I will now tell you what you want to know. Artea is in the Squirrel Village of Efrea. It is a long way, but you can make it," he stated.  
  
Lyle told the man, "I thank you for your assistance. I promise that I won't allow the Sinistraels to return. They will be destroyed by the power I possess."  
  
The three left the tower. From the look of the map, they would have to travel south, and then east around the mountains. So they all began to head out, knowing that time was of the essence.  
  
- - - -  
  
The difference in the three spells are that Flash is a Lightning spell affecting a single target, Dew is a Water spell affecting a group of targets, and Bang is an Explosion spell affecting all targets. And no...for all you new readers...this title was not taken from Donald Trump's reality show. The show hadn't even come out when the first draft was posted (I only know now b/c I'm editing some mistakes in all my fics) 


	10. Red Hope

Red Hope  
  
Lyle, Rasha, and Migel entered the city of Meden the next afternoon. They had camped halfway between the city and a town called Kirof. The group had figured that by heading on instead of stopping at the village would save them some time, and hopefully make it easier to pick up Raider's trail.  
  
There, they saw a young boy with purple hair sitting down and crying. When Rasha asked him what was wrong, he told them a sorrowful tale. "My name is Mark. My best friend Reyna is sick, so her dad moved her to Kirof, in order to get her some better air. But even that didn't help, and medicine doesn't do much. So I promised her that I'd bring her the Hope Ruby, but no one will let me borrow it."  
  
"What is the Hope Ruby?" inquired Lyle, "We don't live around here, and no nothing about what goes on in this city. Why is this ruby so important to your friend."  
  
"If you drop a coin into the well, and make a wish, it will come true. But my friend can't come and see it herself, so I've got to bring it to her. I've got to go now, bye," he said.  
  
As the boy left, Rasha and Lyle silently decided that they wanted to see the ruby for themselves. While they did that, Migel went to get some information from the castle soldiers about recent monster activity. He wanted to see if there were any clues to finding Raider.  
  
Later on, the group met in front of the castle. Rasha had made a wish on the ruby, but wouldn't tell anyone what it was. She just gave Lyle one of her piercing smiles, and looked at him with her big eyes, as if she was trying to make a date with him.  
  
Migel informed her, "Don't spend too much time wishing for that wish to come true. I overheard the princess talking to her advisor, they said that the ruby is a glass fake used to put money into the castle treasury. It can't really grant wishes, just some people get lucky."  
  
Suddenly, Mark ran right past them. He was followed by a group of soldiers. Then someone began screaming that a young thief had stolen the Hope Ruby.  
  
Lyle looked at his friends. "It must have been Mark. He's probably going to bring it to Reyna. Let us go to Kirof and ask him ourselves." Then, the three were off.  
  
* * *  
  
In Kirof, they found Mark. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost, and was clearly out of breath. The boy's eyes were towards the shop where Reyna and her father lived.  
  
"Reyna's gone," he told them, "She just up and walked to the Ghost Cave by herself. It's supposed to be dangerous there, and she is too sick to even stand. How did she manage to go there, and why would she even want to? I'm going to find her."  
  
"No you are not. We will look for her. You stay here where it's safe," scolded Rasha.  
  
Mark exclaimed, "I can't do that! Reyna's my best friend, I'll never abandon her in her hour of need. Besides, I have something that I need to show her." He took the glass ruby out of his pocket.  
  
Lyle looked at him. "Ok, you can come. But stay close behind the others and me, otherwise we can't protect you. There's no reason you should get hurt if we run into monsters."  
  
They set out for the Ghost Cave. There, the guard let them in, seeing the group had weapons and seemed to be competent in battle. Then, they entered, and began to search.  
  
The cave was a maze of stairs and corridors. Lyle was leading the way, followed by Rasha, who was using her Light spell to help them get through. Migel walked right behind Rasha, with Mark holding onto his hand so he wouldn't get lost in the dark.  
  
Soon, the group found a pair of bridges suspending a large ravine. Migel walked out over one, but fell through to the floor below. He went back up the stairs, and joined his friends.  
  
"Stupid, don't be hasty," ordered Rasha, "Nothing is what it seems, there is an illusion spell on this ravine. They aren't really bridges, but mirages. We cross in the middle, where there doesn't appear to be one. That is the true bridge." With that, she stepped out over the ravine, and mysteriously didn't fall. Lyle, Migel, and Mark followed her over, and soon they were on the other side.  
  
It wasn't much longer until they had found Reyna. She was holding her head, and looked in pain. When Mark came towards her to ask if she was ok, a phantasm appeared. He knocked Mark backwards, and the boy hit a wall. Instantly, he was knocked out.  
  
"Finally, the Hope Ruby will be mine. Give it up or die," demanded the phantasm.  
  
Rasha aimed her Flash spell at the enemy. She yelled, "How dare you use an innocent child as a pawn in your sick game? You will be the one to die, demon." She fired off the spell, hitting him.  
  
Lyle ran forward at the phantasm, and slashed him with his sword. "You will not gain any quarter from me or my allies." His sword penetrated the monster's form, killing it instantly.  
  
* * *  
  
Although Reyna and Mark were both ok, the Hope Ruby was broken. But Reyna had finally gotten better after the phantasm was killed. The group took her back to her father in Kirof. "Thank you for saving me," whispered the girl, "Can you stay here forever?"  
  
"No, we must go to the city of Elfria," Lyle admitted.  
  
Mark asked, "Don't you need a squirrel to get there? My daddy once told me of a squirrel woman living in the town of Belgen. It's just beyond the cave to the east, if you want to go."  
  
So they set out for Belgen. On the way, they stopped off in Meden, and found the princess setting her country strait about the truth of the Hope Ruby. For all of their help, she allowed them to use the checkpoint in the east cave. Now, Lyle and his friends were on their way.  
  
- - - -  
  
I guess you all know who the squirrel is. We arrive in Belgen in the next chapter, you'll see what happens when we get there. 


	11. The Sacrificing

The Sacrificing  
  
When the group arrived in Belgen, the guards began to jump in fear. They assumed that the warriors were demons in disguise. Luckily, the misunderstanding was cleared up before anyone got hurt. Namely the two of them, as Rasha would probably have beaten them up.  
  
"We're sorry," one stated, "Our town has been besieged by demons for some time now. They demand young women in return for sparing the lives of our people."  
  
"So you just give them up innocent women!?" exclaimed Lyle, full of rage.  
  
The second replied, "Yes. We've got another problem on our hands. It might be even greater than demons. One of our best warriors, Ihrie, has gone missing. We think it has something to do with the last girl we sent to be sacrificed, a childish klutz named Fam."  
  
Lyle looked at him. "Where do you hold these girls? Is there a way to save them?"  
  
"On a dais beyond the caves to the west," the guard stated, "But I don't think you can outrun the demon. There's nothing we can do for Fam. But if you can stop him from attacking again, other girls will not have to be killed in order to protect us."  
  
Lyle decided to go and save the girl. Rasha was a bit skeptical, but she would do anything that would make Lyle happy. Migel just sighed, but he followed anyway.  
  
* * *  
  
In the caves, they saw a short raven-haired warrior standing before them. He had long hair and teal eyes. His sleeveless tunic was red, and his breeches were tan. The armor he had on was a Steel Brest, Steel Wrists, a Headband, Ruby Greaves, and a Fire Ring. The steel belt that held his breeches up had some Ruby plates that protected his sides, and he carried a Steel Rapier.  
  
"Excuse me kid, you shouldn't be here. It's kind of dangerous. Go back to town, we'll handle it," Migel told him. He went forward and grabbed the boy's hand, and began pulling him to town.  
  
Suddenly, the boy turned around and smacked Migel upside his head. The young warrior asked the other, "What did I do wrong? I was only trying to help. A little boy like you shouldn't be her."  
  
The kid looked mad. "Boy! Boy! I'm no boy bucko. My name is Ihrie, and I'm a girl, if your small brain can grasp the concept of a female warrior. And I'm not a kid, I'm 22-years-old!"  
  
"So you must be the warrior who went missing," Lyle stated, "Why have you come to this dangerous place? You should have at least brought someone along with you."  
  
"I've come to find my sister. Her name is Fam, and she was taken to the dais to the west. She's going to be sacrificed to the demon, and I'm the only one who wants to save her. Everyone else just wants to live in peace. But I won't sit for it anymore, I'll save Fam and kill the demon," Ihrie vowed.  
  
Rasha requested, "Then let us come with you. We are going to stop this demon anyway, so we might as well let you come around. Not that I need any help, but you will."  
  
Ihrie beamed. "Thank you, I'm indebted to you."  
  
* * *  
  
When they arrived at the dais, they saw a pair of guards standing by the top. Siting on the cushion on the top was a young squirrel girl with blond hair, blue eyes, a yellow furred tail, and brown fur. She was wearing a white bodysuit and a yellow skirt. She had on an Aqua Guarder for armor, as well as Tan Bracers, a Hairpin, Tan Ankles, and a Yellow Ring. No weapon was in her hand.  
  
"This is Fam?" asked Lyle, "But you said that the two of you were sisters."  
  
"We are, it's just that Fam is adopted. When I was a baby, this woman came into town with her baby, wrapped in a blanket. The woman made it as far as my house before she fainted. My parents took the two of them in, but the woman didn't make it. The last thing she said was 'take care of Fam for me'. So we raised the child as my twin sister. It was about the same time as the war between squirrels and humans that happened out east. Fam's mother was a human, but her unknown father was a squirrel. We've tried to find him, but the only clue is a pendant she owns," Ihrie admitted.  
  
Just then, Fam called, "Hi Ihrie. I knew you'd come to save me. I wasn't scared at all, I trusted you to come. How did you get here anyway? Who are these people that you're traveling with?"  
  
Rasha sweatdropped. 'This girl sure can talk. Where does she get all of her energy anyway? I sure could use some of this on our journey, all of us can.'  
  
"Don't worry Fam," Ihrie assured her, "I won't let the demon take you. I'll just go and get these nice gentlemen over here to let you go." She walked over to the two guards.'  
  
"Now, now, now Ihrie. There's no need to be hasty. You know that if we don't sacrifice Fam, the demon will destroy the whole village. What is her life if everyone dies?" they asked her.  
  
Ihrie yelled, "I don't care if the legendary Sinistraels came and asked for her in return for sparing the village. She's my sister, and I won't let you hurt her."  
  
Suddenly, a large gargoyle came out of the clouds and descended on the group. It grabbed Fam in its claws, and returned to the sky. Then it flew to the tower in the north.  
  
Lyle boiled with anger. "We must go follow the demon right away. If we can get there before he does whatever he wants with her, we can still save her. Don't worry Ihrie, we'll rescue Fam."  
  
Ihrie smiled. She then began to head onwards to the tower. The others followed close behind. They wouldn't fail, no innocents were going to die anymore.  
  
- - - -  
  
The part about meeting Ihrie was completely made up by me. She and Fam are playing one role split into two, as you saw in the beginning. So I made Fam get captured, but her alter ego goes to save her. Think of Ihrie as a cross between Jerin's concerned friend, and the elf child herself. 


	12. Sisterly Love

Sisterly Love  
  
Along the way, the group found a poisoned swamp. Lyle picked up a Float, and they flew right over it. It was all they had, because neither Ihrie nor Rasha knew how to use the magical alternative. Rasha was mostly a battle mage, while Ihrie was kind of in the middle.  
  
The tower was a mess of not only stairs, but switches as well. Lyle decided to avoid them, unless it was needed. They would keep to the stairs as much as possible.  
  
At the top, the group encountered the demon. He began to laugh. "You are fools to come and fight. I will kill you, and your energy will be used to aid in Ramion's revival."  
  
"Ramion!" exclaimed Lyle, "The Sinistrael Ramion!?"  
  
"So you do know of them. I thought you humans had forgotten the times of terror completely. It will come again, once Ramion, Rugudorull, and Rahashina are returned to life. Lord Raider has ordered me to destroy whomever gets in my way," he stated. Then, the demon attacked.  
  
Lyle and Migel attacked with their swords. But they just bounced off the monster's stone skin. Rasha attacked with her Bolt spell, which was stronger than Flash. It did a little, but she knew that she would need more power. She looked at Ihrie, and nodded.  
  
Ihrie told Rasha, "Be warned, this isn't going to be pretty. Just don't get to freaked out." With that, she took off all of the armor, and threw it in a pile on the floor. Then, she began to cast the Flame spell, a level two fire spell. It hit the gargoyle, and knocked him back. But Ihrie was nowhere to be found. A little gray mouse with a X-like scar on her cheek was now on Fam's shoulder.  
  
Rasha turned pale. "Oh gods, a mouse! Save me Lyle!" With that, she jumped into her friend's arms, and he fell to the ground with her still cowering.  
  
The monster was laughing so hard that he left an opening in his defenses. Migel ran forward and killed him in one blow by hitting him in the soft spot under his jaw. He smiled at his handiwork. When he looked back, he saw Lyle was just getting up, and was comforting Rasha in the process. Fam was sitting on the ground nearby, talking to the mouse.  
  
"Thank you for coming to save me," she said, "Let's get you back to town so you can take your medicine. Unless you brought it with you."  
  
"No I didn't bring it along Fam. I was to intent in finding you that I left it home. That and I thought my sword would suffice, and that I wouldn't need magic," the mouse replied in a voice not unlike Ihrie's.  
  
Rasha shrieked, "A talking mouse?! Lyle, crush it before it bites me." She jumped behind his back, and held onto his arm, all the while she was shivering.  
  
Fam giggled a little bit. "She's not going to bite you. All we need is to get her medicine back in Belgen. Then she'll turn back to a human."  
  
"How did ummm. . .she get here?" asked Lyle, "What do you mean, 'turn back into a human'."  
  
"I'm Ihrie you guys. I turn into a mouse whenever I use my magic. It's hard to explain, I'll tell you when we get back to Belgen, and I'm human again. Someone pick up my clothes," Ihrie said.  
  
* * *  
  
When the group got back, Fam gave Ihrie one of her tablets, after sending the others out, as the woman would be naked when she transformed back. After that was done, she dressed, and the two joined the others in the living room. They sat down, and had some tea.  
  
Ihrie told them, "When I was about five, my parents were killed in an accident. A local wizard took in Fam and me. But one of my experiments blew up the lab. The old fart then tied me up and locked me in a closet for an hour while he cleaned up the mess, and then put a curse on me. Now, I can't use magic without turning into a mouse. One of these days, I'm going to break this stupid curse. Then I'll bring that decrepit old fossil up out of the ground, and blow him up again."  
  
Rasha sighed. "It's a relief that you won't be doing that anymore. I've been scared of mice ever since I was a kid. One got in my room, and bit me when I was six."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that," Ihrie replied, "But there's nothing I can do about it. So, what are you guys doing here anyway? Where are you bound for?"  
  
"We're hunting the Sinistrael Raider, and trying to stop the others from coming back to life. Raider attacked the town of Sheran, and knocked me around a little bit while I brought time for the king to escape to Alekia. Rasha and I have been chasing him ever since," Lyle admitted.  
  
Ihrie asked, "Are you insane? You are taking on a Sinistrael in combat, no human can do that." Rasha looked at her, and then grabbed onto Lyle. "Lyle is not insane at all. He just happens to be the descendant of Maxim, and it's his destiny to fight them."  
  
"You aren't going to be talked out of this," realized Ihrie, "Then I will go with you. Those freaks tried to use Fam's life force for their own ambition, I can't forgive them."  
  
"I'll come too, I don't want to stay here alone," whined Fam.  
  
Ihrie said, "No, I'm not going to let you go. There is no reason that you should be risking your life on the battlefield. Especially since you can't use any attack magic. I'm sure that Rasha's healing can suffice, and I can use mine if we're in a real emergency."  
  
Fam broke down. "But Ihrie, you can't just leave me behind. Besides, you need a squirrel to go through the forests to the southeast. I'm the only one who can guide you."  
  
"We're going to the guide station," Ihrie reminded her, "There are older and stronger than you are. They won't hold us back like you."  
  
"That's mean Ihrie! I'm never speaking to you again!" Fam exclaimed. She ran off crying.  
  
Lyle tried to calm Ihrie down, but she just said that this kind of thing happens often. Fam would come home when she got hungry, or she calmed down, whichever came first. There was no reason to worry, so the group headed onwards to the east desert.  
  
- - - -  
  
Is Fam going to be alright? Will she do as Ihrie asks and believes, or will she get into more trouble? Stay tuned for the next episode. 


	13. The Guide

The Guide  
  
"If you guys like," Ihrie stated, "I can use my Warp spell to take you as far as Surinigal. That will save us much time, and maybe we can make the forest by nightfall."  
  
"Why don't you just take us all the way to Elfrea with that spell?" inquired Migel.  
  
Ihrie replied, "Because, a Warp spell or item can only travel to places that one of the people in its range have seen before. None of us have gone to Elfrea, so I can't take you there. It'd be better to teleport, as I will connect with your minds, and then can travel to all of the places you have gone even when you are not in the range of my magic. Do you get it now?"  
  
Migel nodded. At that moment, Rasha walked up to her. "Can we walk instead? I really don't want to see you turn into a mouse again. Maybe, you can take Migel, and I'll go with Lyle on foot."  
  
"Don't worry Rasha," Ihrie assured her, "Just hide your eyes for a second. Migel or Lyle can bring me into a room at the inn to take my pills, and then leave right after it. Usually, Fam does all of the magic when we're together, but I don't suppose you know how to Warp."  
  
"I'm primarily a fighter mage, I only know some lighter healing spells," Rasha mumbled.  
  
In the end, she agreed with Ihrie's plan. When the group arrived at Surinigal, Migel took her into the other room, and gave her a pill. Then he walked out, noticing her basilisk glare. In the meantime, Lyle and Rasha shopped for supplies to help them on their journey. Soon, Ihrie was clothed again, and they headed towards the checkpoint for the south forest.  
  
* * *  
There, they found an old man who ran the guide services. When Lyle questioned him about hiring someone, he said, "All of my regulars are off today, but a volunteer is on hand. I never saw her before, but she's the only squirrel here. Do you still want to go?"  
  
Lyle nodded. "We have to go to Elfrea. If only one guide is here, well, 'beggars can't be choosers' as my guardian always says. We'll take her."  
  
"Ok," the man called, "You can come out now miss." And out of the back room, came Fam. She had an Elf Bow in one hand, and a quiver of arrows was strapped over her shoulders.  
  
"Fam, I told you to stay home! This isn't a picnic!" scolded Ihrie.  
  
Fam whined, "But Ihrie, I want to help Lyle out in return for saving my life. Can't I come along? You guys are going to be stuck here if I don't, there's no other squirrels working today."  
  
Migel sighed. "Now the tomboy's whiny friend is coming along as well. Jeez how can our luck get any worse? Rasha grows fangs and turns into a vampire who sucks out all of our blood?"  
  
"That's incredibly rude Migel!" yelled Rasha, stomping on his foot, "And as for you, fang girl. I've had dibs on Lyle for some time now. Little kitties better not interfere with me."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't want you 'cuz you're so grouchy and mean. What if he's still looking, then I have a chance with him too," Fam reminded her.  
  
Rasha got mad and stomped out towards the forest. Lyle knew there was no point in arguing with her when she got in this state of mind. Especially since she saw Fam as serious competition, and not just a hindrance like the town girls. He foresaw having to break up a ton of fights on the way.  
  
* * *  
  
They decided to make camp near the forest, and start out again in the morning. Lyle, ever the gentleman, took the first watch, and Rasha had agreed to the second, hoping to look good in front of Lyle. Third would be Ihrie, followed by Fam and Migel.  
  
But Ihrie was unable to sleep that night. So she just sat up with Lyle for a little while. Then she asked him, "What's Rasha's problem? Is she always this angry about another girl getting close to you?"  
  
Lyle threw a log on the fire. "For about a year now. She wasn't always this way. You see, I was engaged to another girl at that time, and Rasha cared enough about us to let us be happy together. She even kept other people from trying to break us apart. All three of us had grown up together, and were the best of friends. None of the girls liked Meria, because they all wanted to marry me, and none of the guys liked me, because all of the girls paid more attention to me than to them. Rasha was a girl of unknown birth, having lost her parents as an infant, and was treated with suspicion wherever she went. So we three were kind of like a posse. But a year ago, that all changed."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The demon was looming over Lyle and Rasha. The beast was incredibly strong, and both the young man's blade and the girl's magic were doing minimal damage at best. But neither was injured, and they had much strength to spare in order to keep fighting.  
  
"Lyle!" a voice called out, "I've come to save you." When the young man looked past his adversary, he saw his beloved Meria in her favorite white dress and wielding a short knife.  
  
The monster saw her as an easy target. He charged, and knocked her down. Then he tried to gouge her with his horns. Meria screamed out and reeled from the pain.  
  
"Meria!" screamed Lyle. He ran at the beast with rage in his heart, and struck it with his sword. Rasha felt her rage grew, and her spells were super powered. Soon, the beast had died.  
  
Rasha told Lyle, "I'll give her a healing spell." So she cast strong on her childhood friend. But Meria was too far-gone to be saved. She died in Lyle's arms a short while later.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"After that, all of the town girls saw the opportunity to win my heart. They came to see me, not to comfort but to win me over. But Rasha wouldn't let them dishonor Meria's memory, she began to protect me like a sister takes care of her brother. I could tell she felt something more, but was wary about making me upset over our friend's death once more. Now that she sees a 'serious threat', she'll go all out."  
  
"Don't worry Lyle," Ihrie stated, "I'll help you dissolve any fights that may occur. It's for you to decide, not me or anyone else. Something tells me though that this'll be a long trip."  
  
- - - -  
  
The gang's all here now. What will happen next time? And I finally tell Meria's depressing story. Even more tragic than in Ruin Explorers itself. 


	14. Two Towers

Two Towers  
  
The next day, the group headed through the South Forest. Fam directed them to head east, south, west, and south at the four intersections. They then found themselves at another guide station, and a shrine that connected the two sides of land that a narrow strait divided.  
  
Once past the strait, they walked north to the city of Jenoba. There, they learned about how you must solve the riddles of the three towers in order to find the way to Elfrea. The next destination was decided, it would be the Blue Tower, which was the closest to town.  
  
* * *  
  
In the Blue Tower, they fought many powerful monsters. It was then that they learned that Fam knew nothing of battle magic, only a lot of healing. After a short strategy meeting, it was decided that Fam would concentrate on healing the party, Rasha would use her magic only to fight, and Ihrie would pitch in if a real emergency occurred, as neither she nor Rasha wanted her to become a mouse.  
  
Further on up, they saw a strange stone tablet. On it, was a message written in squirrel. Fam bent forward to read it. "It says 'Go to the Red Tower last'. I wonder what it means."  
  
"There must be something we need to do in each tower," Rasha deduced, "Probably we need to perform some sort of magical ceremony. We need more clues."  
  
They found two more in the course of their journey. First, was a green gem that had been left in a treasure box in the tower. The second was a pedestal that appeared to hold the gem. But for some reason, the green one was being kept back by a hidden force.  
  
"Maybe we need this for the Green Tower. I heard some people saying that blue is first and red is last, when we were in Jenoba. They were most likely talking about this. Probably, we need to find a gem of each color, and deliver it to the proper tower in the right order," Ihrie suggested.  
  
Lyle said, "Then let us head out for the Green Tower. Maybe the blue gem is there."  
  
* * *  
  
To their surprise, an inn was on the first floor of Green Tower. So they spent the night there, and began to explore the tower in the morning. Like with the Blue Tower, there was a pedestal on top, and the green gem seemed to call to it. But they were still unable to place it, as if the spell of the squirrels prevented anyone from setting the gems in reverse order.  
  
On another floor, they found what appeared to be a red gem. But alas, it was cracked as if monsters had destroyed it. All of their hope seemed to be lost, as this would be the only place they could find one if the order of the towers and the gem's hiding places were connected in some way.  
  
Through it all, Fam kept her spirits high. "Don't worry everyone, I'm sure we can find another ruby somewhere. I mean, there are gems hidden all over the world in mines, just waiting to be discovered by someone. We just need to find out where a ruby mine is."  
  
"Fam!" exclaimed Lyle, "You're a genius. But where do they mine rubies that we can go to?"  
  
"How about the old mines north of Meden? They were supposed to be rich in rubies once, how else would that princess get away with their glass Hope Ruby?" stated Rasha.  
  
Ihrie asked, "Fam, can you get us out of here with your Escape spell? Then can you take us to the city of Medan, so we can go to the mines?"  
  
Fam smiled. "Of course I will. I told you I'd be useful on this journey Ihrie." She began to concentrate, and they then left the tower. Another spell took them all the way back to Medan.  
  
* * *  
  
Once there, they headed north to the old mines. Rumors had it that they had been stripped clean of rubies many years ago. But one stubborn old man was still said to be looking for rubies in the back. Lyle and his companions decided to pay him a visit.  
  
"Hello," the old man greeted, "It's rare to see youngsters around here. Nowadays, kids are so lazy and have no work ethic. So, why have you come to visit an old man such as myself?"  
  
"We would like to know if you have any rubies lying around," Lyle replied.  
  
The man stated, "The mines have been dry for some time now. I'm convinced that more rubies must be here, but no one will help me. Why do you want rubies anyway?"  
  
Lyle looked at the man. "I would like to meet with a man named Artea."  
  
"Artea!" exclaimed the man, "Artea of Doom Island?! The best shot out of all squirrel kind?"  
  
"Do you know him? This is the best luck we've had all day," Rasha stated.  
  
The old man answered, "Everyone of my generation knows of Artea. I was a little kid when he and Guy went 'round killing off the monsters. What do you want with him anyway?"  
  
Lyle hoped that the old man believed his story. "I am Lyle Rehbart Reon, descendant of Maxim. The Sinistrael Raider has come back to life, and I fear that the others will soon follow. I must speak with Artea to learn how I might combat them, should that happen."  
  
"If the Sinistraels have truly returned," he began, "Then the situation is serious indeed. I will give you this, the true Hope Ruby. It's the best one I've found in seventy years. Take it, and use it to save this world. I don't want to see those dark days ever return."  
  
He handed a large ruby to Lyle with a smile. After the boy had politely thanked him for the gift, he and his friends left the cave with Fam's magic. Then, they teleported back to Jenoba, and headed for the village of Ruan, which lay at the base of the Red Tower.  
  
- - - -  
  
Hello, it's me, Skysplitter. I will be talking for this chapter, as Teefa needs her rest. You'd think that she could avoid typing on her day off. No, she thinks they're all days for "recreational work". But anyways, here's what happens when she reads Lord of the Rings, contrived chapter titles. Oh well, at least she wasn't doing songs like in her Wild ARMs 2 fic, Eternal Conflict. 


	15. Poison Ghost

Poison Ghost  
  
In the town of Ruan, the gang heard a sad tale. The Water Fairy had vanished from the Red Tower, and a Dark Ghost had come and polluted all of their water. If something wasn't done to get rid of the ghost and find the fairy soon, all of the people would die of dehydration.  
  
"We must save them," Lyle told everyone, "I can't bear to watch these people suffer any longer."  
  
"I agree with Lyle whole-heartily. We must do everything in our power to rescue these poor people from all of their torment and misery. Let's go kill that nasty Dark Ghost," Rasha stated. With that, she marched towards the Red Tower with her head held high.  
  
Fam muttered under her breath, "Suck up." Luckily, Rasha was to far away to hear. * * *  
  
More squirrel writing was found in the Red Tower. Lyle motioned for Fam to take a look. "It says, 'blue is blue, green is green, and red is red'. It must be a clue to the placement of the gems."  
  
"Which means absolutely nothing to us," Migel added, "Since we figured it out in the first tower." "It's not my fault, that's what the plaque says," Fam began to whine.  
  
Rasha yelled, "Now look what you've done, you big oaf. Fang Girl's crying. My eardrums can't take much more of this. Why do you always say what is on your mind?"  
  
Migel shrugged. "Habbit, I guess. I wasn't trying to insult Fam, I just was commenting on the stupidity of the builders to place this hint here. Do they think we're idiots."  
  
"Some of us, yes," Rasha replied, "But not myself, or Lyle. Ihrie has enough brains to get buy, and even Fang Girl has more common sense than you."  
  
"Let's just get going," Lyle said. He didn't want to see this little argument escalate into a big battle between Fam and Rasha. This wasn't the time or the place.  
  
* * *  
  
At the top, they found a large ghost. He laughed when he saw them. Migel stated, "You'd best still that attitude. On foot, the Great Migel has bested 50 mounted men at one time."  
  
Rasha sweatdropped. 'The last time he said that, it was 25. This guy sure is full of himself.'  
  
"Foolish mortal," the Dark Ghost said, "I am far more powerful than any of your kind. What makes you think that you can defeat me, a being of pure evil, in combat? Did that dratted Water Fairy send you here to fight? She will regret her decision before the day is through."  
  
Lyle, Migel, and Ihrie ran forward and struck out with their swords. Rasha cast the Bolt spell on Dark Ghost, while Fam used Stronger on whomever happened to sustain an injury. Although, Rasha broke the pattern once when Lyle got injured. She decided to help him instead of casting her spell, hoping to get to him before Fam. If they hadn't been in a very large battle at the moment, there might have been a spat between the two girls over who had what job.  
  
Soon, Dark Ghost knocked the three warriors to the ground with a spell. He then aimed a blast, hoping to take out Lyle in one shot. Fam, seeing the danger, leapt at him, and knocked the young warrior out of the way of the attack. Luckily, she was only mildly scratched.  
  
"Fam!" screeched Ihrie. With that, she ran at the ghost with all of her fury. After knocking him around for about a minute, the ghost began to fade away into oblivion.  
  
In hopes of impressing Lyle, Rasha decided to bury the hatchet for the next five minutes, and heal the young half-squirrel up. When that was done, she realized that she had four and a half minutes left to be nice, and decided to chuck it if Fam started up again. If she kept quiet, Rasha would do the same, but if she latched onto Lyle, there would be war.  
  
Suddenly, the Water Fairy appeared. She stated, "Thanks to you, the poisons are gone from the water around Ruan. I now give you this, my treasure." She handed over the blue gem.  
  
Lyle looked at the beautiful fairy. "Thank you for your help. We will put this gem to good use."  
  
"I sense a dark time approaching," the fairy replied, "You are the only one who can stop it from coming to pass. Hurry to Elfrea, Artea is waiting there." Then, she vanished.  
  
* * *  
  
Back in Ruan, the gang held a strategy meeting. It was decided that they would set out for the Blue Tower in the morning, as they were all exhausted after the battle. They could all wait another day before heading to Elfrea. After all, only one Sinsitrael had been brought back to life.  
  
So the next day, they warped to Jenoba, and began walking to the tower. Once at the top, they placed the blue gem in the pedestal. They did the same thing in the Green and Red towers as well. After the red gem had been placed, Fam closed her eyes, and began looking around.  
  
"I can here it, the voice of the Shilf, the spirits of the winds. They are telling me the spell needed to teleport to the city of Elfrea, we can go at any time now," she whispered.  
  
Migel mumbled, "I can't hear anything. Are you sure you're not just going crazy?"  
  
Ihrie slapped him. "Stupid, she's only hearing things because she's a squirrel. They are the only ones permitted to travel to Elfrea, so humans are unable to hear the spell."  
  
'I think I'm starting to like this girl's way of thinking,' thought Rasha, 'I like her way of dealing with this idiot. I guess the two of us can get along, if Fang Girl and I can't.'  
  
Suddenly, Fam began to concentrate, as if she was casting the Warp or Escape spell, as they had similar gestures. A bright flash of light covered the group's vision. When it cleared, they saw the squirrel city of Elfrea standing before them.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, the Fam saving Lyle part honors my promise to the kawaii little cat girl. She got a little upset when we were doing the scene where Rasha saves him from Raider (see the Bloopers section on my website for more details). We meet Artea next time, let's see what happens.  
  
For those of you who are curious, here is how I divided the Lufia spells for each character. . .  
  
Rasha: Lufia's magic, with the unlisted spell Light (it's used by Selan in the prologue, but it isn't even in her spell list) in place of Boost (a heal all spell)  
  
Ihrie: Jerin's spells, minus Elf (which warps you to Elfrea), with Courage (ups DEF of all) in its place  
  
Fam: Max's spells, along with Light, Elf, Warp, Escape, Dead (revives a mortally wounded character), Boost, and Mirror (reflects magic cast on you back at the enemy).  
  
I figured since Fam doesn't like to destroy things, and anger the spirits, I would do her a favor and give her the healing spells. 


	16. Find the Sword

Find the Sword  
  
"Well, we've finally arrived in Elfrea," stated Lyle, "Let's go and meet with Artea. I only hope he has some information that could be of any use to us. It's our only hope to win."  
  
"Don't worry Lyle. I'm sure a great hero like Artea can help us out," replied Rasha.  
  
When they entered the village, the group already felt like outcasts. Everyone around them was staring at the four humans and one half-breed as if they were lepers. Rumors were flying in hushed whispers, that another war with humans was going to occur, and these travelers were bringing doom to the squirrel race. But Lyle just let it all slide, knowing that these people had the right to be afraid after what happened all those years ago. He whispered for Rasha to hold her tongue until they had left.  
  
Fam asked one woman, "Excuse me miss, do you know where we might be able to find Artea? My friends and I have traveled long and hard to meet with him. Some came from as far as Alekia."  
  
The woman looked at her. "How could you lead humans into our town? After all that happened all those years ago. It's because of them that Maki left Elfrea all of those years ago, that witch tricked him into bearing her child. Then, they tried to kill us off and so many squirrels died in combat."  
  
"Hush Fallin," another woman ordered, "Just because your son fell in love with a human, there is no need to blame the human race for his death. You know as well as I do that a misunderstanding between a pair of merchants is what started the war. Can't you see, this little girl is only half-squirrel? She must be Maki's daughter. The pendant is proof of that, it's the same one you gave him."  
  
"I cannot trust her, she was raised as a human thanks to that wretched mother of hers. There is nothing more to talk about here," Fallin said. She then turned around, and returned to her house.  
  
Poor Fam started to cry. She had finally found someone she could call family, only to have her not even admit it. The second squirrel wiped away her tear, trying to make her feel better.  
  
Fam whispered, "Why, why did it have to end up this way?"  
  
The other woman looked at her. "It will all be ok. Fallin thinks she's the only one who has lost a loved one. She's not even old enough to remember the old war, and what the Sinistraels did back then, because she was born a few years after it had come to an end. I, on the other hand, remember when my mother sacrificed herself in order to fight off Ramion, and to open a door that would give Maxim and his allies more power. Gather your friends here and come with me, I will introduce you all to Artea."  
  
* * *  
  
The woman took them to a house in the north of town. Inside, a squirrel was sitting on a chair, eating some apple pie. He had purple hair, and eyes covered with dark glasses. A cane was sitting in the corner of the room. Although he seemed quite young by squirrel standards, he was obviously blind. But the second the young woman and the five warriors entered the room, he took notice instantly.  
  
"Mirka," he inquired, "Who are these people that you have brought with you to see me?"  
  
"These youths have come from the human lands to seek your wisdom. Artea, would you be so kind as to oblige them, they seem like good people," she answered.  
  
Artea took one glance in their direction, and exclaimed, "Maxim! Is it really you!? I thought you had died all of those years ago after being trapped with Selan."  
  
Lyle shook his head. "No, I am not Maxim. Guy made the same mistake though. It is no surprise that my energy pattern is so familiar, I am Maxim's descendant, Lyle."  
  
"Well then," Artea began, "Why have you come to see me? You don't seem to be here for a social gathering of some sort, a reunion, or to learn about you ancestor."  
  
"Artea, Raider has come back to life. And his minions are already planning to revive the other three Sinistraels as well. We need your help to fight them," Lyle blurted out.  
  
Artea replied, "I wish I could, but I can't. I hurt my eye in the final battle, and eventually went blind from it. So I cannot fight alongside you against the Sinsitraels."  
  
Rasha stepped forward. "Then can you give us any advice? If we could find a secret to defeating the Sinistraels, it would greatly help us in our endeavors."  
  
"You should go and find Sargus," Artea stated, "The power of the Spirit Sword is the only thing that can disrupt the Sinistraels' energy patterns. Without that, even Maxim would fall."  
  
"Where would we find this sword? Wasn't it lost after the final battle?" asked Ihrie.  
  
Artea answered, "That's a simple answer. It would be in the ruins of the Fortress of Doom. But you would have to travel underwater in order to get there."  
  
Migel slapped his head. "But that's impossible old man. No ship can go under the waves, unless it is sinking. And none of us can swim that deep, let alone get back up again."  
  
"Did I say anything about swimming?" inquired Artea, "You will go to the city of Odel. There, you should talk to Professor Galuff Shaia. His ancestor, Lexis Shaia, created the ship that Maxim used to use to go underwater and to fly in the sky. Perhaps those plans still exist."  
  
'Where have I heard the name Galuff before?' wondered Rasha.  
  
Lyle said, "I thank you Artea. Don't worry, we'll find Sargus and defeat the Sinistraels."  
  
Artea nodded. "I know, you can do it. I'm leaving the future of our world in your hands. Lyle, never give up. Stick to it, and you will eventually win."  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, we know where we must go next. Poor Fam, she doesn't deserve all she gets. I just couldn't find a better way to explain her past, as the game doesn't do it. 


	17. Blocked Paths

Blocked Paths  
  
"Wait," called Mirka to the five heroes, "There's something I must give you." She came down the stairs with a bow, a staff, and a pair of swords in her hands.  
  
"We've really got to head out. Every moment we waste is another moment closer to the revival of Ramion, Rugudorull, and Rahashina. We must hurry," Lyle stated.  
  
Mirka replied, "I know. That's why I want you to take these weapons. For the sorceress, we have a Truth Rod. There's an Energy Cutlass for the big swordsman. The swordswoman gets a Power Rapier. And for the young half-squirrel, Artea is giving his own Bow. These weapons are more powerful versions of what you have now. I'm only sorry that I have nothing for you, descendant of Maxim. I remember your ancestor well, he saved my life when I was attacked by monsters once."  
  
Everyone accepted the weapons. Fam was ecstatic. "This is so cool, I'm using the same bow that the legendary warrior Artea used against the Sinistraels. I bet I'll be twice as powerful now."  
  
"Just hurry up Fang Girl," demanded Rasha, "We can't keep Lyle waiting forever."  
  
"I'm hurrying Rasha. Why are you always so mean to me?" questioned Fam.  
  
Ihrie told her friend, "She's just impatient. Try to calm down a little bit Fam. Let's just get going to the city of Odel. I hope we can find the way, I've never even heard of that city."  
  
Mirka smiled. "Take a teleporter in the basement of this house. It'll take you to a shrine near the city of Ranques. From there, you go through a cave to the south, and head to the west. It isn't too much farther to the Kingdom of Odel. The lab is in the castle basement."  
  
Lyle thanked her for her help. Then, the group headed to the basement, and took the teleporter to the shrine. After that, they traveled south to Ranques, in order to gain supplies for their trip.  
  
In the city, they saw a strange site. All of the young men were gone, leaving only children and the elderly. The apprentice cleric at the local shrine told them that some kind of forcefield had appeared in the cave to Odel, and all of the men were trying to figure out what it was. But they could find no clues, so they were still there after all of those days of working. Luckily, they had enough supplies for several weeks of camping out, but it was getting lonely, especially for married couples or parents.  
  
"I can help them out," bragged Rasha, "My name is Rasha, and I'm a traveling sorceress. I'll go over there and dispel the barrier for them. Then all of the men can come back home again."  
  
"Thank you, kind miss. What could we pay you for your kindness?" she asked.  
  
Rasha answered, "You could give us some free supplies for our travels. We're bound for Odel, but after that we don't know where we'll head. So we don't know exactly how long we'll be gone."  
  
The woman handed her a bag of gold. "Take this money and buy whatever you need. I'll do anything to have my mentor back. Good luck on your travels miss."  
  
"You're in good hands," Rasha said, "I can personally guarantee that it'll be a success."  
  
* * *  
  
"'Good hands', jeez Rasha. You brag way to much," complained Migel.  
  
She quipped, "Look whose talking Mr. 'defeated 50 mounted riders while on foot'. You brag ten times as much as I do, and you have the nerve to accuse me of bragging too much. I only did it in order to get Lyle some much needed supplies, and in order to get us to Odel in order to meet the professor."  
  
Migel was taken off. "That isn't bragging, it's true. And you've got it wrong. I defeated 75 men on horseback at one time. When did I say that it was only fifty?"  
  
"While we faced Dark Ghost, " reminded Rasha, "And you said 25 when we fought the goblins." "Would you two just stop arguing? We don't need this right now," Lyle stated.  
  
Rasha replied, "Anything you say Lyle darling. Whatever makes you happy my dear."  
  
Ihrie sweatdropped. 'I think I'm going to be sick. Does she ever do anything else?"  
  
Soon, they came to the cave. Inside was the cleric and all of the young men in town. They were trying to use explosives in order to break down the forcefield. But none of their attacks were effective.  
  
"You idiots," Rasha yelled, "You can't break down a forcefield with materials such as these. These things are constructed by magic, so that's what is needed to break them."  
  
"And where in the name of the gods would we be able to find magic? We're just a group of construction workers and shop owners, not a band of traveling wizards," one complained.  
  
Rasha stated, "That's where I come in. My name is Rasha, a traveling sorceress. My friends and I were just passing through when we heard all about your plight. I can dispel this barrier for you."  
  
The men all seemed indifferent. "Whatever lady. You can try, if you don't mind failing."  
  
"Just watch," Rasha said, "My magic can't be beaten."  
  
She began to concentrate, and focus all of her powers on the barrier. There was no spell for something like this, but rather a sorcerer or sorceress was required to use his or her own magical gifts in place of the chants. The forcefield began to glow, and it suddenly faded.  
  
Rasha walked towards where the glow had been. The moments were tense as she looked like she would bash her toe on the wall. But when she arrived, she found it was all clear.  
  
"I told you that it would work. Come on, let's get going to Odel," she called.  
  
Lyle, Migel, Fam, and Ihrie ran up to Rasha. They then headed towards the inner sanctums of the cave. Soon, they were back out in the open fields, and the sun was shining down.  
  
- - - -  
  
We start our search for the professor next chapter. Lots of fun in that section, including broken bridges, locked doors, and mice. 


	18. The Bridge

The Bridge  
  
After a few more hours, the gang arrived in the city of Odel. Immediately, they headed for the castle. Once there, they descended the stairs to the basement, looking for the professor.  
  
"Excuse me," Lyle asked, "Where is Professor Shaia? We need to talk to him."  
  
"He's in the city of Arus, hoping to learn some magic from the elder in order to help with his research. Whatever you need, we can help you with," the assistant replied.  
  
Lyle stated, "That is quite all right. We'll just go to Arus and talk to him there."  
  
She held onto his tunic as he turned to leave. "Wait, the suspension bridge to Arus is down. You will have to go and talk to the castle architect, Piron, if you want to get it rebuilt. And unless someone with strong magical gifts is in your group, or the elder opens the door for you, you can't get to Arus."  
  
"I'm sure that I can open this door," Rasha told her, "After all, I dispelled a barrier in the caves near Ranques while we were on the way to Odel. The door can't be too different."  
  
They left it at that, and headed to the throne room. There, they found Piron. He was the man who built Odel Castle, and often repaired the suspension bridge when it fell down.  
  
"Of course I'll fix the bridge. I'm not the royal architect for nothing. But before I go, I must ask if you could pick up my assistant. He's in Lyden, the town of chefs," Piron requested.  
  
Lyle agreed to go and find this assistant. So they all began to walk east, towards the famous town of Lyden. Most of the greatest chefs in the world had studied in that very town. Rasha had often dreamed of going there to test her own cooking skills against professionals.  
  
Once they arrived, the group headed to a restaurant, where the assistant was eating. There, they found another problem. The chef was sick in bed, and customers were still waiting for their food. Piron's poor assistant wasn't able to get anything to eat, and he wouldn't leave without a meal.  
  
Lyle exclaimed, "Rasha! You can take the place of the chef. Your cooking is the best in all of Alekia. Remember, you always dreamt of coming here to test your abilities as a cook."  
  
Rasha smiled at him. "If you say so, I will. We need to get his help in order to get to the town of Arus, and if I'm the only one who can do this, I will do whatever I can."  
  
So Rasha put on an apron, and began to make all of the customer's meals. When she finished, she brought it out to the men and women waiting in the restaurant. Each person took one bite, and began to talk about how good the amateur woman was at cooking.  
  
"Did you hear that Lyle?" inquired Rasha, "They really like my cooking. I always knew I would fit in real well in this town. I wonder if I could get lessons here when we finish our mission."  
  
"Maybe you can Rasha," replied Lyle. He smiled at her, and she blushed.  
  
The assistant stated, "Thank you for your help. I'd better get back to Odel. Piron needs my help, right? There's no way I can say no when he asks me." Then, he ran off.  
  
* * *  
  
When they got back, Piron and the assistant were waiting for them. The architect thanked them for their help. "One more thing, can you check on the condition of the bridge for me? I've got to gather my tools and the necessary supplies, so this'll greatly help me."  
  
So they then headed for the cave through the west most entrance. There, they found that the bridge was completely collapsed due to weakness in the ropes on the sides, and old wood. After getting the gist of what had happened, the group headed back to Odel.  
  
"So, we need all new wood and rope," Piron said, "Here's what we'll do. My assistant and I are going in to check things out. You five can enter through another way, and stand on the ledge above where we're working. I feel much better if someone is watching me work."  
  
They headed back to the cave, and entered through one of the center entrances. This one was more of a maze than the other, with many ledges as well. So it took them several minutes of meticulous searching in order to find the ledge Piron had told them to stand on.  
  
Once they were in position, Piron began to work. He was pretty quick, but he still managed to go slow enough in order to avoid serious mistakes. Even still, it was long enough for the group to eat a delicious lunch that Rasha had cooked up for them.  
  
Finally, Piron was done. He called up to the others to take a look. When Lyle peered out over the chasm, he saw a new, flawless bridge in place of the rickety old one.  
  
"What do you think, pretty good, isn't it?" asked Piron.  
  
Lyle yelled back, "It's just perfect Piron. Thank you, we're in your debt always. Now we can head to Arus in order to look for Professor Galuff Shaia."  
  
Piron and his assistant returned to Odel Castle. Lyle and his friends did the same thing, as it was getting late. They then rented a room at the inn, and spent the night.  
  
The next day, the group went shopping in order to re-supply for their trip. Rasha began to make sandwiches for their lunch, while Migel cleaned all of the weapons and armor. Lyle brought the Potions and Magics needed for battle, and Ihrie took Fam to the toy store, where she brought a stuffed dog.  
  
Once all of the supplies were brought and packed, they met in front of the village entrance. Then, they headed towards the cave leading to the bridge. After crossing the bridge, they headed into the depths of the caves, and the city that lay beyond it.  
  
- - - -  
  
What will they find in the Magic City? Can they open a door that is sealed by a powerful spell? With the insanity ever end? Any connections between the chapter title and old Ace of Base albums are purely coincidental. 


	19. Rasha the Great

Rasha the Great  
  
Some time after lunch, and many good comments about Rasha's ability to make sandwiches, the group arrived at a door in the middle of a wall of rock. But for some reason, it wouldn't open when Lyle pulled on it. Migel tried slamming into it, but only succeeded in injuring his head, and knocked himself out. Fam then had to heal it up, as he was of no use if they had to carry him.  
  
"It must be spelled," Rasha stated, "This must be the one that Galuff's assistant was talking about. The stone slate over there must contain the spell. Hey, Fam, why don't you try it. I'm sure that opening the door isn't impossible for a healing expert like yourself."  
  
Everyone wondered what had gotten into Rasha. She wasn't trying to take the glory for herself, or push Fam away from impressing Lyle. They all wondered if it had something to do with the comments she'd gotten from the customers in Lyden, as well as on her lunches.  
  
"Thanks Rasha. Le fallas, la fallas," she read. But nothing happened.  
  
Fam whined, "What went wrong? I read the spell right, so why isn't it opening?"  
  
Ihrie stepped forward. "I'll give it a try. I'm sure this doesn't count as me using my magic, so I won't turn into a mouse. Maybe you need to be a little more forceful. Le fallas, la fallas."  
  
Again, nothing happened. Before Ihrie could figure out what had gone wrong, her curse activated and she turned into a mouse. Then, she landed in Fam's outstretched hands.  
  
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek, a mouse!" exclaimed Rasha, "Save me Lyle." Again, she jumped into his arms, and knocked him down. Lyle began to try and calm her down before she decided to fry Ihrie in order to get rid of the mouse. If she wasn't taken out of a mouse's presence, she was known to do that.  
  
"Great, not only is the door not opened, but I'm a mouse now. And since there's nowhere I can go to change, I can't take my pills. At least we know that it's a magic chant," mumbled Ihrie.  
  
Lyle stated, "It'll be ok Rasha. You've got to open the door now. The sooner we get to Arus, the sooner Ihrie can take her medication, and the sooner that you won't have to see the mouse anymore. So, do you think you're up to trying to break down that door, Rasha?"  
  
She nodded. "I'm not afraid of a little door. Let's get going everyone. I'm going to give this a try. Le fallas, la fallas." Then, the rock began to shutter, and the door opened up.  
  
"I did it!" exclaimed Rasha, "Let's get going, no time to waste. Arus, here we come."  
  
* * *  
  
They continued through the cave, and soon arrived at Arus. There, they learned that the professor had gone to the Tower of Grief, along with the Elder of Arus. The two of them were there to help with Galuff's studies in magical science, as powerful spells were cast on the tower.  
  
So they spent the night in Arus, and decided to head to the tower in the morning. Fam gave Ihrie one of her pills, and soon she was no longer a mouse. Both she and Rasha were greatly relieved.  
  
That night, Lyle was unable to sleep, so he went for a walk outside. While he was walking, he found Rasha standing in a Priphea field, smelling the flowers. She seemed like she was a little bit out of it, her usual response to the smell of flowers.  
  
"Rasha, you really should get some sleep. We can't have you fall ill," Lyle cautioned.  
  
She stated, "I've just had some bad dreams lately. They usually involve the two of us fighting for some reason, and you killing me with a sword. I can also see shadows that appear to be of Migel, Ihrie, and Fam in the background. Why would I have dreams like this?"  
  
He sat down next to her. "They're just nightmares Rasha. I'm sure they're not going to come true. Why would the two of us try to kill each other anyway, it doesn't make sense?"  
  
Rasha agreed with him. Then, Lyle returned to his room at the inn. But the sorceress walked back to the flowers, and picked one. She put it in her hair, and smiled at how she looked.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, they headed towards the Tower of Grief. There, they found powerful monsters were guarding the many floors. So Lyle, Migel, and Ihrie brandished their swords, Rasha cast a few spells in addition to using her staff, and Fam began shooting things with her bow.  
  
After a long time of walking up stairs and a few catfights between Fam and Rasha over Lyle, they arrived at the top level. But only one man was standing there. He was a balding elderly man with some white hair on the side of his head and a white beard. His eyes were blue, and he had on a red robe with golden lining around the bottom, sleeves, and the edging.  
  
"How did you get here?" he inquired, "I've sealed the door so no one can enter."  
  
"Rasha opened it for us. We need your help to find Professor Shaia," Lyle stated.  
  
The elder replied, "He returned to his lab in Odel. From there, he's heading to another one in Platina through a warp in the bottom of the castle. Now, which one of you is Rasha?"  
  
Rasha stepped forward. "I am, elder. What do you want with me?"  
  
"You may call me Flake," he stated, "If you opened the door, you must have a great potential for magic. I will release the powers that have been locked within your soul." He began to concentrate, and soon a blue aura covered Rasha. When it died down, her MP total had increased by ten, and she felt much stronger than before.  
  
"I know of your quest to save the world already. Go now, talk to Professor Shaia in Platina. You must be victorious, or we're all doomed," Flake told them.  
  
So Fam teleported the group outside of the tower. Then, she used Warp to head all the way back to Odel. Once there, they looked in the basement for the teleporter. After figuring out where it was, and which one it was, the group stepped on it, and headed to Platina.  
  
- - - -  
  
Finally, we're getting somewhere. What a fitting title for a chapter centering around someone as conceited as Rasha. 


	20. Search Begins

Search Begins  
  
Once they arrived at Platina, the group went into the basement of the laboratory. There, they finally found Galuff Shaia. He was an older man with dark brown hair, black eyes, and a dark brown moustache. The scientist was dressed in a white lab coat with a red tunic and gray breeches. Once he saw the group standing there, he became very excited by the prospect of visitors.  
  
"Well, what do we have here? You must be adventurers, on a long journey," he stated, "How about I give you a hand. There's nothing I won't do for you. Just name your price, brave travelers."  
  
"Well, that's why we're here. You see, we want to know if. . ." began Lyle, but Galuff didn't seem to be listening to what he had to say. He just took some potions from off of one of the shelves.  
  
Galuff turned to Lyle and said, "You look like a strong fighter. How about this potion to give you four arms? You'll be twice as strong when you drink this." He held up a vial with blue liquid.  
  
Lyle sweatdropped. "No thank you sir. We came here in order to. . ."  
  
"There's time for that later boy," Galuff told him, "Time is money, they say. Ahhhhhhhhh, young squirrel. How about this potion? It will make your hair grow at alarming speed."  
  
"That does sound interesting," Fam replied. She went into a daydream about her hair being even longer than Rasha's. It was so long, in fact, that Lyle became instantly enchanted and fell in love with her on the spot. There was an odd smile on her face as she thought of it, and then she blushed.  
  
Rasha asked, "Are you seriously thinking about buying some stupid potion that you don't have proof will work? Obviously Fang Girl, you act like you don't care about poisoning yourself."  
  
Fam glared at her. "I'm not going to listen to you. You're just worried that my hair will be much longer and more beautiful than yours, and that Lyle will fall in love with me."  
  
"I am not worried!" yelled Rasha, "Lyle is never going to fall in love with a girl like you. And my hair will always be longer and prettier than yours. Stop indulging in your silly fantasies."  
  
"Like you don't," mumbled Migel. He was promptly konked on the head by an irate Rasha.  
Ihrie thought, 'This is starting to get annoying. All they ever do is fight with one another. I'm surprised one of them hasn't murdered the others in their sleep."  
  
Migel rubbed his head. "Dang Rasha, you hit hard. You've got to learn to control your temper and act more like a girl. We've got tomboy to knock things around, that's enough."  
  
"What did you call me?!" exclaimed Ihrie, "I'm not a boy!" Then, she knocked him down. Soon, the fight escalated until everyone but Lyle was knocking each other around.  
  
"Sorry about that professor. They're not usually like this," Lyle apologized.  
  
Galuff said, "No worries my boy. Now, what is your business here, what do you want to buy?"  
  
Lyle looked at the professor. "My name is Lyle Rehbart Reon. I'm the descendant of Maxim. The Sinistrael Raider has revived, and it's only a matter of time before the others follow. We need to find a way to the Fortress of Doom, which is submerged under the sea in order to acquire Sargus, Maxim's legendary blade. Artea told me that you have a ship that can do that."  
  
"Oh, you mean Falcon," stated Galuff, "One of my greatest inventions ever. Do you want to take a test ride on her? Follow me to the basement my good friends."  
  
Everyone stopped fighting at that instant. They followed Galuff into the basement, where they found a ship that appeared to have never been used. It was covered in dust, the paint was peeling, and some of the metal seemed to be falling off of the hull. Needless to say, they were not impressed.  
  
"Have you ever tested this before?" inquired Lyle.  
  
Galuff answered, "Of course my boy. Now get on, I'll show you what this baby can do."  
  
So the group boarded the ship and went underwater. But suddenly, a crack in the hull began to leak. Rasha and Fam were both grabbing onto Lyle for dear life, and Ihrie was trying to plug the rift back up. Soon, they arrived back on the surface, soaked and pretty angry with Galuff.  
  
Galuff began to calculate the problem. "It seems like we need some more Alumina to fix the breach. That's what we used to create the hull of Falcon. Tell you what, if you go and find all of the Alumina for me, I'll give you a discount on the ship. Say, five thousand gold pieces."  
  
"For this piece of junk?" asked Rasha, "It can't even move without leaking."  
  
"Only the underwater systems are broken. Falcon can go above water without any problems. I want you to head to the town of Linze, beyond the Tower of Light in the west. Just head west on Falcon, and stop off at the city of Bakku, and go north from there. Then, go through the tower and leave through the north exit, and you're practically there. Brant should know where you can find the Alumina. By my calculations, you seem to need about seven pieces to fix the ship," Galuff informed them.  
  
Ihrie mumbled, "If we sink, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your miserable life."  
  
Lyle sighed. "I guess I don't have any choice in the matter. I'll take you up on your offer to find the Alumina. We have to get to Doom Island somehow, before disaster befalls us all."  
  
Lyle handed Galuff a bag containing five thousand gold pieces. Then, they all boarded Falcon and began to head west. Luckily, Galuff had been right and they didn't sink while traveling over the water. Soon, they saw the land quickly approaching them, and the town of Bakku was on its shores.  
  
- - - -  
  
Yes I had to skip over the quest to find Dr. Shaia's apprentice, Cooper. After all, who would play him? Galuff doesn't really need an assistant, his only partner is Gil, who can't really help him with shady transactions, as he's only a dog. 


	21. Disciple of Evil

Disciple of Evil  
  
When the gang arrived at Bakku, they heard a troubling rumor. Someone had stolen the key to the back door of the Tower of Light. Rumor had it that he was an old man with a very long white beard. He was holed up in the top of the tower, performing some kind of weird ritual.  
  
"No one is able to get to the town of Linze without that key," said the owner of the item shop, "It's a real drag, we can't trade goods with them anymore."  
  
"Why doesn't anybody just go there and smack that old man around?" inquired Ihrie.  
  
The man replied, "Well, he's some sort of powerful mage, and frankly, we're all too scared to fight. This guy's powerful enough to blow us all to Hell and back with one spell."  
  
Rasha looked at the shopkeeper. "We're not afraid of some crazy old magician. We'll go and get back the key for you. He's definitely no more powerful than any of the other enemies we've faced on our journey. Besides, there's no other way for us to get to Linze other than blow up a mountain."  
  
The shopkeeper thought the girl was a little mad. Many of the rumors about the old mage said he was summoning demons in that tower. How could a group of five mere mortals stand up to a man with an army of monsters and demons at his immediate disposal? He told her that flat out.  
  
"Demons don't scare me," Rasha stated, "We're going, and there's nothing you can say to convince us otherwise. They're no match for the power of my magic, and my companions' swords."  
  
"You're bragging again Rasha," Migel mumbled. She responded by knocking him to the floor with her foot again. While waiting for him to recover, the others brought the necessary supplies for the trip.  
  
Lyle told the man, "We'll be alright. Something tells me there's more to this than just demon summoning. It could be like what happened in Belgen. Is there anyone missing from town?"  
  
The man shrugged. "Nope, none that I know of. I've heard that this guy's so powerful that his own energy can suffice for large summoning spells. I'm telling you, you're all fools for going."  
  
But no one listened to his sage advice. They just spent the night at the inn, and waited for morning to continue. After a large breakfast, the group left town and headed north. Soon, they arrived at the Tower of Light, and went inside through the front door.  
  
* * *  
  
Like with all of the other towers they'd encountered, this one was very tall. Migel was carrying little Fam on his back, only because Ihrie and Rasha had gotten tired of her whining about how tired she was, and they'd forced him to help out. He was muttering the whole way about extra weight.  
  
"Stop you're complaining Migel," demanded Rasha, "She's not that heavy."  
  
'You try carrying her up all of these stairs, and then say the same,' he thought.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the top floor. There, they saw an old sorcerer. He was bald, with a long white beard, and he had on golden robes. His arms were outstretched towards the sky, and he was mumbling some words in a long forgotten language.  
  
Lyle yelled, "Fiend, stop right there! For what reason have you stolen the key to this tower? Why are you chanting like that? What foul demon do you hope to bring into this world with that power?"  
  
He turned towards Lyle. "Well, well, well, what have we here? Some meddling brats, come to spoil my fun. You though boy, there's something about you. But no matter what it is, there's nothing you can do to stop this. Ramion will return to life, to bring Terror to the world once more."  
  
"Ramion!?" exclaimed Ihrie, "You're going to revive the Sinistrael Ramion!? Are you insane?"  
"Maybe, but that doesn't concern me. The only thing that is any need for me is to bring my master back to life. If you interfere, you will die," he stated.  
  
Rasha remembered what Raider had told her in the cave, and shivered. Humans really were selling their souls to the Sinistraels, and bringing about the end of the world. All so they would be safe. They never thought that someone who would be able to stand up to the enemy.  
  
Lyle screamed, "You will be the one to die, fiend. No one is going to bring such an evil back into the world while I still draw breath. My blade will pierce you right through your black heart."  
  
The wicked mage laughed. "Try me boy, Sunder." He then cast the most powerful of all Explosion class magic, and aimed it right at Lyle.  
  
"Lyle!" called out Rasha, "You will die, you monster, Sunder!" She then countered with her own Explosion spell. The two sides fought with one another, neither willing to give in.  
  
Everyone watched as Rasha stood there, unwavering in her concentration on her spell. Beads of sweat had covered her enemy's face. He looked to be losing ground.  
  
'How can a mere child be defeating me?' he asked himself.  
  
Suddenly, his barriers all evaporated. The spell he cast weakened so much, that Rasha's magic was able to break through. He didn't even scream as the flames consumed him.  
  
Lyle exclaimed, "Excellent job Rasha! Now we can take the key back and head to Linze."  
  
At that moment, laughter echoed throughout the tower. "She is everything you said she was Raider. The power, it's unmatched in any mortal. If only she would join us."  
  
A man appeared. He was wearing full body golden armor, with a sapphire gem in the breastplate. His eyes were red, and his hair was violet.  
  
"You must be Lyle and Rasha," he stated, "My brother has told me all about what happened in Sheran. You may call me Ramion, the Sinistrael of Terror. I'd love to stay and chat, but I really must be going. I must prepare for the reunion, after Rugudorull and Rahashina have been brought back to life by our servants." With that, he vanished.  
  
Nobody said a word. They all knew that they must hurry up and find the Duel Blade. If Rahashina came back to life, she could revive all of her allies in an instant. And that would make it much harder for the group to kill them all.  
  
- - - -  
  
And that was the understatement of the year. Heh, Rasha's getting a lot of battle screen time. Well, I have to fight battles some way. A character's screen time in battle is determined by their speed, level, and how long it takes to annihilate your opponent. I never professed to be an expert. Besides, I like Rasha. She's got an attitude. 


	22. Researchers & Rings

Researchers & Rings  
  
After bringing the key back to Bakku, the elder was overjoyed. He gave it to the warriors, and told them to unlock the tower for the townspeople. Monsters made it too difficult for most normal people from town to go to the tower. Besides, Lyle and his friends seemed to be in a hurry.  
  
So the five of them headed to the tower again. This time, instead of going upwards, they took the door in the back of the tower on the ground floor. Lyle put the key in the lock, and the door opened. Then, they all went through it and headed to the northeast, where they found the town of Linze.  
  
Lyle took out a piece of paper that Galuff had given him. It had the address of Brant written on it. After finding the right street, the young man and his friends walked down until they had arrived at his house. Then, Lyle knocked on the door. Soon, an old woman came out.  
  
"What do you want sonny?" she asked, "I'm not buying anything from you."  
  
"We're not selling anything ma'am. My name is Lyle, and these are my friends: Rasha, Migel, Ihrie, and Fam. We want to meet with Brant, is he home?" inquired Lyle.  
  
The woman answered, "He's gone out to the caves in the west to look for Alumina. You can either wait around for him, or go and look for him yourself. But he probably won't be back for awhile. So if you think you can handle the monsters in the caves, it might be better to just go."  
  
Lyle thanked the woman, and then decided to head out for the caves. No one could argue with that, there really was no reason for them to waste time when they could go out and find him themselves. Besides, if there was Alumina in the caves, they might be able to find some.  
  
* * *  
  
As they were searching around the caves, they managed to find one piece of Alumina. But since it was an Alumina mine, they should have been able to find much more. Migel sighed. "This is so useless. There's practically nothing left anymore, and you guys just want to hang around here."  
  
"We've got to find Brant," Rasha reminded him, "He's the one who can tell us what's going on and find us enough Alumina in order to fix Falcon. Do you want to have to dive down to the ruins of Doom Island in order to find Sargus? You know we'd never make it there, let alone back."  
  
"Can we not fight for once? There's no reason for us to do this," whined Fam.  
  
Rasha yelled, "Who asked for your opinion Fang Girl? I'm yelling at Migel, not you."  
  
Fam began to cry. At the same time, she lost concentration on her Light spell, and it went out, leaving the group in the dark. "My name isn't Fang Girl. It's Fam. Why are you so mean to me?"  
  
"Let's just cool down everyone," Lyle stated, "We're here to find Brant, not argue with each other."  
  
"Yes Lyle, anything you say Lyle," Rasha and Fam said at once. They stared at each other with disgust on their faces. Then they turned away with loud "Humphs."  
  
Ihrie told them, "We'd better keep alert, who knows what monsters are lurking in the caves."  
  
Lyle nodded. "Fam, can you re-cast the spell? We need to know where we're going, or one of us might fall off a cliff. I can't bare to lose any of you at this point."  
  
Fam lit the little ball of light, and they continued onwards. Soon, they saw what appeared to be someone's home. Everyone was wondering who would be living in a place like this.  
  
"Who's that in my house?" a voice questioned, "You better have a good explanation for this."  
  
A blond man with green eyes entered the room. He had on a labcoat, as well as a gray tunic and green breeches. Glasses with wire frames accented the shape of his face.  
  
"I'm sorry, we're looking for a man named Brant. Would that be you?" asked Lyle.  
  
The man replied, "No, my name is Clack. I'm a researcher of Doom Island and the old war. Brant is in the Gayas Islands looking for Alumina. People think he's here because they believe that there's a lot left in this old mine. But most of it is in those caves up north. Also, his fiancée lives in the city of Marse, which is the closest port to the Gayas Islands. So he's looking for Alumina there, and also spending some time with her while he's at it. Why do you want to see him."  
  
Lyle took a deep breath before he began with the familiar story. "The Sinistraels Raider and Ramion have come back to life, and we're trying to destroy them. But we need Sargus in order to win, and it has been submerged along with the ruins of the Fortress of Doom. Professor Shaia sold us a ship, but we need some more Alumina to go underwater. We want to ask Brant where to get some."  
  
"Are you guys insane?!" exclaimed Clack, "You're going to take on the Sinistraels! It's suicide to fight those monsters, you people must have a death wish or something!"  
  
"I know it sounds insane, but we have to do this. Or rather, I have to do this, and they are all trying to help me. I am Lyle, the descendant of Maxim," he stated.  
  
Clack told him, "It still is rather insane to take them on. But, if you truly are his heir, you have the best right to kill them. Head to Marse if you wish to find Brant. And I want you to take this with you as well." He pulled a small box out of his pocket, and handed it to the boy. "It's Maxim's Wave Ring. I found it here a few years ago. The currents from the sea wash up here all the time."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Lyle, "It must mean a lot to you."  
  
"If I can help you destroy the Sinistraels in any way, I will. Only you have the right to wield the ring, as only you can wield the Spirit Sword. I wish you success in your endeavor," Clack said.  
  
Lyle thanked Clack for everything. Then, the group left the cave via Fam's Escape spell. She then took them back to Bakku, where they took Falcon to the town of Marse.  
  
- - - -  
  
I hate this part of the game. Who doesn't? I think I can cover the islands in one chapter, and the final piece in one more. Hopefully. 


	23. Alumina Trauma

Alumina Trauma  
  
Once the ship docked in Marse, the gang instantly began to look for information regarding where Brant went. From his girlfriend, they found out that he had headed for Loire Island to find Alumina. He'd been gone for so long, that she was beginning to worry, but there was no way that she could go and look for him, as she was no fighter and the island was full of monsters.  
  
"Don't worry Miss," assured Lyle, "We'll go to the island and look for him for you."  
  
"Thank you so much. You know, you're kind of cute. If I hadn't promised my heart to Brant, I might be tempted to ask you on a date," she joked. Nevertheless, the woman earned some hard glares from both Fam and Rasha. Lyle took that as a cue to leave before the situation turned violent.  
  
* * *  
  
On Loire Island, they realized that certain areas of the floor had been weakened to the point where even a child could fall through it. Of course, they found this out the hard way when Fam and Rasha got into another fight, and the sorceress wasn't looking where she was going. Lyle grabbed her just in the nick of time, while Fam managed to nearly fall down a second hole, only to have Ihrie give her a boost. When this was all over, Rasha and Fam began hanging onto Lyle and glaring at each other.  
  
Through all of their efforts, they managed to find a piece of Alumina. But some time later, while heading for a chest that might contain some more, a group of monsters attacked. Rasha, trying to show off in front of Lyle, cast Sunder on them. It was a big mistake to do something like that with a weak floor. The second the spell was cast, the ground caved in, knocking them down to the bottom level of the cave.  
  
Rasha screamed, "This is just great! Now, there's no way to get out of this stupid cave, save Fang Girl using Warp, and now we're never going to find where Brant went."  
  
At that moment, a man came up to them. "My name is Brant, what do you want with me? What are you people doing here? If you've come for Alumina, you're out of luck. By my research, only one piece remains on this island. There should be one more on Elba Island, and two more on Ulapp Island as well. But I don't know any other places where it might be."  
  
"That'll only give us five pieces, counting the one we found back in the caves near Linze," Migel stated, "And we've already found the one on this island. Now how are we gonna fix old man Galuff's ship? Maybe we will have to dive down to Doom Island with scuba gear after all."  
  
"Doom Island?! Why would anyone want to go to that place?" inquired Brant.  
  
So Lyle told the researcher everything. About how Raider had come back to life and attacked the nation of Sheran. About how Ramion's followers went as far as to sacrifice women for his revival. And how he, as the descendant of Maxim, was going to find the Spirit Sword in order to combat the threat. When he was finished, Brant seemed amazed.  
  
He told Lyle, "You can collect the ones on the islands if you need, and I can give you another piece to increase that number to six. But the only other thing I can do is to try and locate another source for you. Now, can you help me get out of here so I can return to Marse?"  
  
So Fam teleported them outside. Then, Brant gave them one piece of Alumina, and rode his ship off to Marse. Lyle and the others watched him go, and then prepared to go to the next island.  
  
Suddenly, Rasha had a good idea. "How about we split into two groups. Lyle and I will head for the cave on Elba Island, while Migel can take the others to Ulapp. We can go faster if we split into two groups." 'Not to mention me getting some time alone with Lyle.'  
  
Everyone saw the sense in the plan. So Lyle dropped Migel, Fam, and Ihrie off at Ulapp Island, and he and Rasha went to Elba Island. They soon found the piece of Alumina, but for some reason, Rasha found it necessary to stay a little longer. Something told her that they had access to a second piece from where they were, although there was supposed to only be one piece on the island.  
  
She looked at Lyle. "Let's go to that strange teleporter that we found up those stairs. I have a feeling that we'll find something good once we get there."  
  
* * *  
  
"Where could it be?" questioned Ihrie, "We've combed this whole cave through dozens of times, and have only managed to find one piece. Could Brant have been wrong?"  
  
"Do you think I know? I've certainly never been here," Migel complained.  
  
Ihrie retorted, "Well EXCUSE me for thinking out loud. You know, you're one of the most rude and annoying people I have ever met Migel. Can't you not say everything that's on your mind."  
  
While they were arguing, Fam managed to find a switch. "Hey, Ihrie. I think I may have found something." She then pressed it, and the earth began to shake.  
  
* * *  
  
"Let's try taking this again," Rasha requested, "I know it sounds funny, since the first time we ended up on another part of the island, but trust me on this one Lyle."  
  
"If you say so Rasha. We might find something that will help us fight," Lyle stated.  
  
So they stepped on the teleporter. Instantly, they arrived on Ulapp Island, but neither knew that little fact. They thought they were in some unknown cave. So when Rasha found some Alumina not too long after they arrived, they were overjoyed.  
  
Rasha exclaimed, "We've found an extra piece Lyle! When we add the ones that Migel, Ihrie and Fam will get on Ulapp, we'll have all seven pieces that we need to repair Falcon."  
  
Suddenly, they heard Fam's high-pitched squeal. "Ihrie, Migel, Rasha and Lyle came to pick us up. And they found the missing piece of Alumina too."  
  
Rasha groaned. So they hadn't found an extra piece just lying around. This was another way to get to Ulapp Island. Looks like they would have to find a new source after all.  
  
- - - -  
  
Heck, I figured splitting up would make the stupid thing go faster. I hated this quest in the game. Some humor had to be added. We'll find last piece next chapter. With the best humor scene in the entire game... 


	24. Newtw & Alumina

Newts & Alumina  
  
When they arrived in Marse, Brant gave them some encouraging news. The king of Herat had been collecting Alumina lately. But he was not one to part with his jewels for just any task. No, he would only grant such a boon on the one who could find him a decent meal, as all of his food had been tasting bad lately. Rumor had it that the Wizard of Taste of Lyden had found a new taste sensation, but he needed a Purple Newt for it to work. And only insane people would go to that cave.  
  
Not that such words would stop Lyle. He and his friends headed west, stopping in Heart for supplies. There, they went to the castle to gain information. In the kitchen, Fam was asked to taste some food for the king. But when she realized it was slime, she spit it out.  
  
"Hey, Slime Squirrel," Migel joked, "How did it taste?"  
  
"That was mean Migel, why don't you leave me alone?" whined Fam.  
  
Ihrie stepped on Migel's foot. Lyle told Fam, "Don't worry, no one will tease you again."  
  
But that was only an invitation for Rasha. "You know, Slime Squirrel has a ring to it. Much funnier than Fang Girl. How about it, Slime Squirrel?"  
  
Fam began to cry. Migel laughed at the whole scene. And Ihrie stepped on his foot again. The only person who was still calm throughout the whole ordeal was Lyle.  
  
"That was pretty rude Rasha," he stated, "Why don't you lay off Fam for once?"  
  
"Well, I can see now that you like Fam much more than me," Rasha whispered.  
  
Lyle exclaimed, "That's not true Rasha! I just don't like seeing anyone fighting with one another. How about it Rasha, can you and Fam try to get along."  
  
She nodded. "I guess I can try, for your sake Lyle."  
  
* * *  
  
They headed around the continent to the west, looking for the cave. Soon, they had found its location. Once inside, the group began their search for the fabled Purple Newt.  
  
After some time, they saw a large purple lizard. It looked mean and battle ready. Upon seeing the warriors that had entered its chambers, the beast blew fire on them.  
  
"Rasha, hit them with your Flood spell," commanded Ihrie, "If it has a fire attack, water and ice must be its weakness. You're the only one who can do this, I don't think we need my magic enough for me to turn into a mouse and freak the group out again."  
  
Rasha nodded. She then began to concentrate, and called upon the strongest of the water based group attack spells in her repertoire, Flood. The lizard was hit by the spell, but still wasn't down.  
  
It began to spring towards Rasha with incredible speed. The sorceress tried casting another spell, but it was no use. Nothing seemed to stop the beast when it was ready for the kill.  
  
Nothing, that is, except one angry swordsman. As the monster headed for Rasha, Lyle's mind began to relive Meria's death. He remembered how he had been unable to protect her from the demon that had claimed her life. Lyle vowed not to make the same mistake twice. The young man leapt at the beast with all the fury he could muster up, and slew it with his sword.  
  
It turned out that the monster was the legendary Purple Newt everyone had talked about. Lyle took a survival knife, and hacked off several good chunks of meat from its body. 'That ought to be enough for the chef's recipe, at least I hope so. No one wants to come back here,' he thought.  
  
* * *  
  
Once in Lyden, they found this Wizard of Taste, and gave him the Newt. He instantly began to make the seasoning for the king. The gang was asked to stay the night at his place.  
  
That night, Rasha woke after another one of her dreams. She had been fighting against her friends, and then Lyle had killed her with his blade. Then, Fam went over to him, and gave him a kiss. To her surprise, Lyle returned her gesture, affectionately. A tear flowed down Rasha's face.  
  
"You know that this is for the best Rasha. You're a demon in human skin, and I can't have someone like you running around, causing destruction," Lyle stated coldly.  
  
She had begged, "But Lyle, it's me, Rasha. Remember me? I'm you're best friend. How can I be a demon, we've been together since we were both children."  
  
Lyle shook his head. "Just take one look at yourself. You only thought you were human. But in reality, you were no more than a demon."  
  
Rasha looked at the mirror like tiles on the floor. She saw her own face in them, but something was different. Her eyes, once blue and radiant, were red, and as cold as ice.  
  
'Why do I dream like that?' wondered Rasha, 'Just who am I really."  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, they took the new ingredients to Herat in order to give them to the cook. With them, he cooked up the most amazing meal. The king was so impressed, that he ordered his armory unlocked, and all of the warriors get a new suit of armor. Of course, he also gave them their Alumina.  
  
Lyle now was wearing a Gold Plate, Gold Gloves, Gold Boots, and a Gold Band on his head. Rasha was given a Gold Protector, Gold Arms, Gold Leggings, a Celtic Circlet, and a Purple Ring. Migel received Gold Armor, Gold Gauntlets, Gold Guards, a Gold Helm, and a Black Ring. Fam put on a Gold Guarder, Gold Bracers, Gold Ankles, a Gold Hairpin, and a White Ring. Finally, Ihrie equipped a Gold Brest, Gold Wrists, Gold Greaves, a Gold Headband, and a Blaze Ring. But that was of little consolation for the group. They had all the pieces of Alumina needed, and now could go back to the lab.  
  
- - - -  
  
Although an optional scene in game, Slime Elf happens to be the funniest skit written in the story. For those of you who were wondering, the armor is in this order, body armor, arm protectors, leg protectors, head protectors, and rings. Lyle didn't get a ring because he has the Wave Ring from before. 


	25. Pirate Capers

Pirate Capers  
  
After they left Herat, the gang teleported to Platina. There, they'd heard grave news. The professor's son Gil had been kidnapped by pirates, and he'd gone to rescue the boy. But with his inability to fight, and interest in whatever booty there might be at the tower, he was probably in trouble.  
  
"Now I remember where I'd heard that name before," stated Rasha, "Lyle, remember what happened in Lorbenia? That boy Gil stole my purse, and we then were told that his father was doing some research, and had left his son alone, but couldn't send any money. It was professor Shaia they were talking about back there in the inn, remember?"  
  
"I do remember. We'd better rescue him before something happens," Lyle added.  
  
* * *  
  
The tower was near the Gayas Island caves, so Fam teleported the group to Marse. They then got back in Falcon, and drove to the tower. Immediately, they began to search for the professor.  
  
They found him locked in a cell somewhere in the middle of the dungeon. Apparently, he'd tried breaking into the main treasure chamber, but had gotten the password wrong. Then, the alarm had sounded, the guards had come and assaulted him, and he was taken to this cell.  
  
Galuff informed them, "The head pirate must have the key. I want you to find it for me. Listen closely, there are four switches on the ground. From what the pirates were saying, it seems like the top left one starts the pattern, but I don't know about the others."  
  
Lyle thanked him for his help. "I'm sure we can figure out the rest of the code by ourselves. We won't fail you professor. And we'll rescue your son while we're at it."  
  
* * *  
  
Soon, they arrived at the room that the professor had told them about. Four switches were on the ground in a block formation, with a fifth by the door. Judging by the setup, it seemed that they had to impute a combination using the four, and then use the fifth to open the door.  
  
"Rasha," asked Lyle, "Could you try and use your magic to see if there's any kind of vibration coming from these switches? Anything we can use to help us find the combination."  
  
"I'll try," she replied. The young woman began to concentrate on the switches. Suddenly, a spark of magic jumped from the upper left to the lower right, to the lower left, to the upper right.  
  
She told Lyle, "There, it's up/left, down/right, down/left, up/right. If you hit the switches in that order, we should be able to get in without alerting the guards to our presence."  
  
So Lyle tried what Rasha had told him. When he hit the fifth switch, no alarm sounded like Galuff had said happened to him. Instead, the door opened to the main chamber.  
  
There, they found two pirates, along with poor Gil cowering in a corner. One pirate kicked him. "Shut up you stupid kid! You've no right trying to bite me you brat."  
  
"Well you have no right keeping me in this stupid place," he retorted, "If you won't let me go, then I'll have to get ruff with you. Nobody messes with me."  
  
"Stupid kid, now you die," the pirate threatened. He raised his sword above the boy's head, and prepared to kill him with one blow. Terror shone in Gil's eyes as the blade descended.  
  
But the end didn't come as either had expected. Instead, it came in the form of Lyle running in and blocking the pirate's sword before it could hit the boy. Needless to say, he was pretty annoyed with Lyle at the moment, as well as surprised that the man had gotten in.  
  
The pirate asked, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"  
  
Lyle pushed him back with his blade. "I'm here to rescue Gil. If you let him go, I won't have to hurt you. But if you continue to pick on him, then you'll die a painful death."  
  
"No child can best me in combat," the pirate laughed, "Do you jest, boy?"  
  
"I'll show you what this 'child' can do," Lyle replied. He ran at the pirate, and cut him across the side. The brigand began to bleed from the wound, but didn't go down.  
  
He told Lyle, "You are a fool for challenging me. My mate will help me out." But when he turned around, he found his partner was already dead, killed by one of Rasha's Thunder spells.  
  
Lyle laughed a little bit. "I guess you're all alone now. You will pay for your crimes." With that, he ran the pirate through, and the brigand died on his sword. Lyle took the key off of his belt.  
  
"Are you ok Gil?" asked Lyle, "They didn't hurt you, did they?"  
  
"You're the guy from Lorbenia, aren't you? Why did you come to such a place to save me? Are you some sort of secret police or something?" inquired Gil.  
  
Rasha answered, "We're looking for your dad. He came to save you, and was caught."  
  
Gil was shocked. "My dad's here?! He actually came to rescue me?! I'd better go and save him. After all, he's still my old man, even if he forgot me." He turned to run, but Rasha stopped him.  
  
"You shouldn't go alone," she informed him, "Stick with us, it'll be safer if you don't go running off. Now that we've gotten the key we can unlock your dad's cell."  
  
They ran back to the jail, and found the professor. After a few father/son moments, Lyle unlocked the cell. Then, Fam cast Escape, and then Warp. Instantly, they were back in Platina.  
  
"I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Now that we've gotten the Alumina, we can repair Falcon for undersea travel. It'll be ready by tomorrow, so stay the night and have a nice breakfast. When the repairs are done, you can go to Doom Island," Galuff said.  
  
They all went to bed, in order to be at top shape for their ordeal. Again, Rasha was woken up by her dreams. Terror was in her heart as she thought about the possibility of herself being a demon. But then she shook her head. How could it be true, she'd certainly have had no qualm about joining Raider if it was. But something told her that her past would be terrifying indeed.  
  
- - - -  
  
Yes, Doom Island next chapter. Then we'll finally have the final armor piece needed for this story. 


	26. Past Revealed

Past Revealed  
  
The next day, Lyle awoke early and took a walk around the outskirts of the lab. He soon found Rasha sitting near the edge of the water. She looked pretty depressed, and stared at her reflection.  
  
"What's wrong Rasha?" he asked, "Having nightmares again?"  
  
"Yes. But why would I dream about fighting against my own friends? Maybe Fam and I spat, but I don't think we'd go so far as to blow each other up. Especially since she doesn't like destructive things. But even if that held true, I know you and I wouldn't try to kill each other," she stated.  
  
Lyle told her, "It doesn't make sense. I've been your best friend for years, why would we ever fight each other? Could the enemy be sending you nightmares in order to harm you in some way?"  
  
Rasha sighed. "I don't know if this is a trick or not. But if I find out that's what's going on, Raider and Ramion won't want to know what devilish torture I can invent for them. It'll make what Maxim did seem like therapeutic massages."  
  
"That's the Rasha I know," commented Lyle, "Now, let's get something to eat before we have to leave. We can't fight well on an empty stomach."  
  
* * *  
  
Later on, after breakfast had been eaten, the five warriors gathered at the docks. Everyone in the lab begun to wave goodbye to the heroes as they prepared to set off for Doom Island. So after waving goodbye for a full ten minutes, they got on Falcon, and headed north for the town of Soshiet.  
  
Soshiet was on the island that was created when Doom Island crashed into the ocean. There, Lyle gathered information about the tides and other factors. He learned about how weird energy would sometimes radiate from the lake in the center of the island. The villagers also told him about how there was an undersea tunnel connecting the lake to the ocean.  
  
With the new information, the group returned to the ship and submerged. Once underwater, they headed for the caves that headed to Doom Island. After what seemed like an endless number of twists and turns, they found them selves staring down the fortress that once nearly brought doom to the human race. Lyle parked the ship, and they went inside.  
  
"I can't believe there's still air in here," commented Ihrie.  
  
Rasha stated, "It's probably due to the energy of the Sinistraels. This place radiates with it, and also their infinite evil. We'd better find Sargus quickly.  
  
They walked through the corridors, and soon found a large receiving chamber. Sitting in the center, was the legendary Spirit Sword. Lyle walked up to it, and placed it in his hands. Instantly, he felt the power coursing through his veins. He knew he would be able to win now.  
  
Suddenly, an earthquake shook the room. Four figures rose up from the ground. Everyone turned to face them, weapons drawn. But they were only statues.  
  
Fam began making faces at one that looked like Raider. "You can't get me now, you meanie. I'll show you what the power of the Squirrel Race can do." She laughed a little bit.  
  
"Really Fam, can't you ever act mature?" Ihrie inquired, while knocking on Ramion's head, "But these things are in perfect likeness to the Sinistraels, it's scary."  
  
"This one must be Rugudorull then. He certainly scores a ten on the creepiness scale. And he'll probably have power to burn as well," Rasha commented.  
  
Migel looked at the last statue, the only female one. If he didn't know better, he'd say the woman depicted was Rasha. He called out, "Hey guys, look at this one. Looks like Rasha, don't you think?"  
  
Rasha examined Rahashina's statue. "Not at all. Her eyes are demonic, her hair is nowhere near as nice as mine, and she's got claws. I swear by the gods Migel, you say the dumbest things sometimes. No, make that all the time."  
  
"The lad is more intelligent than you think," a voice echoed, "Certainly, he has more brains than my brothers. They couldn't even recognize their own sister. But I can."  
  
"Who are you and what do you want with us?" demanded Lyle.  
  
Raider and Ramion appeared, along with a third man. He had emotionless black eyes and long black hair, with a long black beard. His robes were red with a golden border. The man's face was cold, as if he had no heart at all. And he stared right at Lyle and Rasha.  
  
Lyle exclaimed, "Rugudorull! So you've shown yourself at last, wicked fiend. But I don't see Rahashina anywhere. Yet you claim they can't recognize their sister."  
  
Rugudorull examined the boy. "We finally meet, Maxim's descendant. Rahashina is right here. She stands next to you." He pointed at Rasha.  
  
"Liar," the girl screamed, "I am a human, not a Sinistrael."  
  
"Always trying to run from your fate. I still can't forgive what you did a hundred years ago. You fool, if you'd've just let me crush Parcelyte instead of helping Maxim interfere, we wouldn't have to deal with his line ever again. But I see that you truly can't remember who you really are, or what has happened, sister. Allow me to refresh you," he coldly said.  
  
With that, Rugudorull blasted Rasha with energy. The young woman began to feel like she was on fire. Suddenly, Lyle put Sargus between Rasha and the spell. Then, the sorceress fainted.  
  
Rugudorull stated, "So, you shield her. But she will remember in time. Until then, keep my sister safe. When she is ready, she will return to me. Rahashina cannot run from her fate any longer."  
  
The three teleported away. Then, Doom Island began to shake uncontrollably. Fam used Escape, and they returned to Falcon. They could only watch as Doom Island began to come out of the water, ready to bring terror to the world once again. As the island rose into the sky once more, the five heroes headed back to Soshiet so Rasha could recover from the ordeal.  
  
- - - -  
  
More Lufia II refs. Yeah, there were just so many instances that the developers could have put in a flashback of some sort, if only Lufia II had come out before the first. Hey, I'm not the one who made the game that took place first in the timeline after the one that took place second. Blame the developers, not me. 


	27. Plan to Fly

Plan to Fly  
  
Rasha woke up in Soshiet early the next morning. She saw Fam and Ihrie sleeping on their beds. Deciding to see if Lyle was up, the sorceress went to the bedroom where the two men were sleeping. But when she got there, she heard what appeared to be a discussion about her.  
  
"What are we going to do?" asked Migel, "You know, about what Rugudorull said?"  
  
"Why should we do anything? He was lying to turn us against one another. Rasha is not a Sinistrael. I've known her ever since she was a child, and she's definitely human," Lyle replied.  
  
Migel inquired, "What do you do if he wasn't lying? If she really is Rahashina? You are the descendant and heir to Maxim. How do you deal with this?"  
  
"My mission is to kill the Sinistraels," Lyle told him, "Nothing else."  
  
"Are you listening to yourself? If your mission is to kill the Sinistraels, that means you will have to kill Rasha too. Do you think you can do that?" he demanded.  
  
Lyle said, "No, I can't. But I don't have to. Rugudorull was lying. Rahashina is dead. All we have to do is kill Raider, Ramion, and Rugudorull. Shouldn't be as hard as Maxim had it."  
  
Migel looked at him. "But what if it turns out to be true, and she turns into Rahashina. Shouldn't we take care of the problem before it becomes a disaster?"  
  
"No, I will not kill Rasha," Lyle vowed, "Unless there is solid proof, I won't hurt her."  
  
"So I guess we're planning suicide then. Since you don't want to do something now, we'll be in trouble later. Rahashina will kill us in two seconds flat," Migel stated.  
  
Rasha didn't wait around to hear what Lyle said next. She ran back to her room, mumbling, "I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die." For the woman was thinking about her nightmares, and realized that they now made sense.  
  
Ihrie was up when she arrived. "What's wrong Rasha? Worried about what Rugudorull said?"  
  
"Yes," Rasha answered, "I've also been dreaming about fighting you all, and dying on the point of a sword. I now know that the sword was Sargus, and I was Rahashina."  
  
"I wouldn't take that monster's words to heart. He's probably trying to split our group up. That man is so devious, that he's planning to weaken Lyle's resolve to fight," she told her.  
  
Rasha asked, "How do you know he's lying? I've never known who I was or where I come from. And I've always been an outcast, my only friends were Lyle and Meria."  
  
Ihrie began to count on her fingers. "That's exactly why he chose you. First, you don't have a known identity. Second, you are Lyle's closest friend. Third, you are a great sorceress. You are the best choice to use if Rugudorull decides to weaken our group, or turn us against one another."  
  
"I guess you're right," Rasha admitted, "When I get my hands on him, Rugudorull will need an army of demons to put him back together again."  
  
* * *  
  
Later on, the group headed for Carabris, where Galuff kept another lab. They planned to ask the professor how they could fly up to Doom Island. History told them that Lexis Shaia had created a flight machine out of Maxim's ship, and they hoped Galuff could do the same.  
  
"So, you need to fly to Doom Island. Unfortunately, I'm all out of Power Oil at the moment. If you would be so kind as to head for the city of Epro, and pick some up there, I will greatly appreciate it. Or I can go, and you can pay me, either works just fine," Galuff stated.  
  
Lyle thought of Galuff's crazy prices. He told the professor, "We'll be happy to go and pick some up for you. Epro is north west of Marse, right?"  
  
Galuff nodded. "That is correct. When you're done, come to my lab at Frederia, to the south of here. That is the only place I can properly fix Falcon at. Good luck to you Lyle."  
  
* * *  
  
In Epro, they learned about how the route to the Oil Cave had been blocked with an earthquake. Lyle was forced to get the key from a man named Hedge, and then take an undersea tunnel to the area where the cave was located. Once there, they unlocked the old mine, and began searching.  
  
Soon, they found the oil being guarded by a huge dragon. Lyle struck out at the monster with Sargus, listening to the sword's song. It sounded happy to be back on the battlefield after sleeping at the bottom of the sea for nearly a hundred years. The monster went down not to shortly afterwards.  
  
"Let's just get the oil and go," Migel requested, "This place is starting to creep me out."  
  
"Just make sure you don't have nightmares over this thing. Why do you always say such stupid things Migel? You don't make sense," Ihrie replied.  
  
Rasha thought, 'If Ihrie is teasing people, the world has truly turned around.'  
  
* * *  
  
Back at Frederia, Galuff began the refitting of Falcon. He spent the rest of the day on the project, while Gil ran around the lab. Lyle and the others just sat around and waited.  
  
When it was done, they all went to the basement in order to see the complete ship. Galuff stood there, smiling. "Now she can fly in the sky. Here's the lowdown. Apparently, Doom Island floated above Gladsar Tower, which has a barrier around it. The only way there is to climb the tower yourselves, and take the teleporter on top. The key to the tower is in a cave north of it, and you can get to the tower through the cave to the south. For towns, you can stay at Arubus, which is a little bit east of the tower, and north of Epro. But there's no beach, so you'll have to fly."  
  
Lyle thanked the professor. They then boarded the ship, and took off. Soon, they arrived at Arubus in order to re-supply. Then, they went to sleep and prepared to head out the next day.  
  
- - - -  
  
I can't believe I nearly forgot about Carabris. Of course, my dumb partner Sky can believe it. She never gives me credit... 


	28. Friend or Foe

Friend or Foe  
  
The next day, the group headed to the north cave in order to find the key. After wandering for what seemed like an eternity, Fam stumbled upon it. After activating every trap in the area in the process, but she still managed to find the key they needed.  
  
"With this key," Lyle whispered, "We stand a chance. Let's got to Gladsar tower."  
  
They headed to the south cave, and began taking the pass to the tower. It was a long maze, filled with traps and lots of stairs. The group traveled through the cave for what seemed like hours, before they finally took a break to make camp. They figured it would be better to rest for the night, and then head to the tower the next morning. Everyone was getting cranky.  
  
That night, Lyle watched as Rasha sat in front of the fire. They were the only two who couldn't sleep. She looked like she was lost in thought, or worried about the coming fight.  
  
"Rasha, you really need to get some sleep. We can't have our sorceress falling ill before the final battle. We really need your help on this one, you're a vital part of the team," Lyle stated.  
  
Rasha told him, "I'm ok. I was doubting myself for some time, but now I feel much better. I heard you and Migel talking the other day, and was worried. But I know you'd never try to hurt me. Rugudorull is playing mind games with us, that is all. He's looking for a way to hurt you through me."  
  
Lyle nodded. "That's the only thing it could be. You're not Rahashina, so don't worry about a thing. I believe in you, even if the others turn against you, I'll still be your friend."  
  
"I know Lyle," Rasha replied, "You and I have always been together. Nothing will ever change our friendship. But there's something I have to tell you before we enter the final battle."  
  
"What is it Rasha? I'm listening, you can talk about it now," Lyle stated.  
  
But before the sorceress could speak, she heard snickering. When she turned around, she saw the others had all woken up. Although she didn't know it, Migel had still been awake, and he'd decided to have some fun by waking Ihrie and Fam up to see the scene that was unfolding.  
  
He told her, "Don't pay any attention to us, continue your little discussion. I'd love to know what you have to say to Lyle now. Especially since you waited until we were all supposed to be asleep."  
  
Rasha glared at him. "Mind your own business Migel. This isn't a peep show. Just go to sleep, you certainly need a rest before continuing. Or else your reflexes might slow, and they'd be about as effective as your brains. You too Ihrie, we don't need you being slowed down. And Fang Girl, you really need to replenish your magical energy, in case we need you to heal our wounds up there."  
  
They all gave her a mock salute as a joke. At once, everyone began to laugh. Rasha included. When the laughter died down, the group all lay in their sleeping bags, and went to sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, the group finally arrived at Gladsar Tower. There, they began another endless climb. Nobody was really happy about having to go up another tower. Rasha began to think that the ancients who built these places loved to torture the people who had to work in them.  
  
Finally, they arrived at the top. There, they found a single switch on the ground. If what Lyle heard in Arubus was true, then that would trigger a teleporter which would take them to Doom Island. So he stepped forward, getting ready to activate the teleporter so they could head onwards.  
  
Suddenly, a strange man appeared. He looked to be wearing some armor that gave him an almost catlike appearance. In his hands, he held a large glaive. And it was pointed right at Lyle.  
  
"So, the descendant of Maxim challenges me," he sneered, "My name is Nazeby, a servant of Rugudorull. I will let you go no further towards my master's chambers. Your journey ends here."  
  
"Well that was an original speech. I was shocked for a moment, I thought you would just copy the ones that every villain has used in the past. That was amazing," Rasha said sarcastically.  
  
Nazeby demanded, "Don't mock me woman. Or else I might get angry enough to lop off that pretty blond head of yours. Back away, my fight is with Lyle."  
  
Lyle unsheathed Sargus. "If it's a fight you want, then I'll give it to you." He charged the monster, and struck him with his sword. Nazeby barely had time to scream as he died.  
  
"Splendid Lyle Rehbart Reon," echoed Rugudorull's voice, "But you should know that I planned this trap all along. Now, die." With that, he blasted everyone around with energy bolts.  
  
Rasha was the first up. Immediately, she went to see if Lyle was ok. But suddenly, she felt faint, and saw herself being killed by him again. She shook off the dream, knowing it was only an illusion.  
"But it is real Rasha. Or should I say Rahashina. Your dreams reflect what you know in your heart. Now, take Sargus and come to me," demanded Rugudorull.  
  
Rasha felt like she couldn't control her body anymore. She took the sword from Lyle's belt, and took the teleporter to Doom Island. Once there, the woman traveled to the upper hall, the location of Maxim's final battle. Rugudorull took the sword from her, and destroyed it in one blow.  
  
* * *  
  
Lyle woke up shortly after. He noticed Rasha was gone, and began to worry. The young man called out, "Rasha, Rasha, where have you got too Rasha? Answer me!"  
  
Fam suddenly looked at his swordbelt. "Lyle! Sargus is gone! What are we going to do?"  
  
But Lyle didn't seem to hear what she was saying. Instead, all he could do was cry out for Rasha. The others awoke and saw what was going on. They could see the fear and worry in their leader's eyes, as he called out again and again with no results.  
  
- - - -  
  
What will they do? Only Sargus can defeat the Sinistraels, how can they win without it. And more dumb game show parody chapter names... 


	29. Showdown

Showdown  
  
Lyle had no time to think about what to do next. Doom Island moved away from Gladsar Tower, and resettled high above the ocean to the northwest of Arus, causing panic in the streets as it passed over towns. Even though he no longer had Sargus, he had to go and fight the Sinistraels. Besides, something told him that he'd find Rasha and the sword if he went to the island.  
  
* * *  
  
Unlike when Maxim came to the island, the fortress was well lit by the time the four warriors entered. They continued onwards, taking the same direction they had gone the first time they'd entered the fortress. As they passed the statues, a tear fell down Lyle's cheek.  
  
Soon, they arrived at the main chamber. There, to Lyle's surprise, lay Sargus, shattered into a million pieces. He tried with no avail to put them back together. The Spirit Sword was lost for good.  
  
"You are a fool Lyle Rehbart Reon. You could have lived, had you not come to this place. As you can see, Sargus is no longer whole. And you will never be able to repair it. Or your friendship with the girl for that matter. Her human soul has died at last," Rugudorull's voice echoed.  
  
At once, the Sinistraels and Rasha appeared. She still looked human, but her once vibrant blue eyes were now red. She couldn't recognize Lyle when he called out to her, and didn't speak.  
  
Rugudorull told him, "Her human soul has died, but Rahashina has not been completely reborn yet. We need to feed her some death, how about if you four volunteer for the job. I know you wanted to help Rasha, and you will. Help her regain her true power."  
  
Suddenly, Sargus began to glow. Energy filled the room, and a hot light blinded the warriors, and Sinistraels. When it cleared, Sargus was whole again, and it flew back to Lyle's arms. He took the blade, and held it close to his body, embracing it. "Maxim, thank you for giving me this chance."  
  
"Even with Sargus, you will loose," stated Rugudorull, "Raider, give the boy some pain."  
  
"One dose of pain, coming up m'lord," replied Raider. He attacked Lyle with fury, much like he did at Sheran. But something was different this time. Whether it had something to do with Sargus, or it was Lyle's own will, the attack was deflected. Then, Lyle managed to slash Raider across the chest.  
  
Ramion tried next. Not wanting to follow his brother's error, he tried using his magic. But Fam called up her Trick spell to up Lyle's physical strength. The man charged his opponent, and managed to cut him too. Ramion backed off, not wanting to be killed that day.  
  
Rugudorull saw how powerful the boy had become. He knew that Lyle would use his human emotions in order to win. If that was the case, he would have to use his Trump Card.  
  
Rugudorull yelled, "Now we will finish what we started a hundred years ago." Suddenly, he cast a spell, and the bodies of himself, Raider, Ramion, and Rasha began to combine into one.  
  
Lyle could only think about the past at the moment. He saw Rasha in the Priphea fields, and her smile as they enjoyed her cooking. He wouldn't let her become a monster along with the other three Sinistraels. "Rasha, please hear me. I know you still remember me, so come back."  
  
Suddenly, a light from Sargus shot the merging Sinistraels. It took Rasha out of the formation, and deposited her right before Lyle. But their reunion was short lived, as only seconds after she regained her senses, the three Sinistraels became the Demon of Corruption.  
  
"We have to slay this monster," Rasha told them, "Or it will destroy the whole world. I guess the test of human courage and resolve is going to have to go for round two."  
  
Lyle wondered what she meant. Human courage and resolve getting tested. He promised to ask her later. Right now, he had a fight to win. The youth drew his sword, as did Migel and Ihrie. Fam prepared to heal if need be, while Rasha began charging up her Thunder spell.  
  
"So you wish to fight me. Fine boy, this will be your last days in this world," the demon said.  
  
Rasha exclaimed, "You do not know the true power behind human emotions! I have learned to harness it for myself, and I know what it can do. It defeated you before, and will defeat you again."  
  
The demon laughed. "So, baby sister has learned what it means to be human. For what purpose would you want that? Humans are frail and mortal. But we Sinistraels are forever."  
  
"I will never listen to you," she screamed, "I am no longer your sister. I am Rasha. Thunder."  
  
The spell hit head on, causing distraction for the monster. At that time, Lyle, Ihrie, and Migel charged. All three swords sliced him open at once. Then, Rasha threw another spell into the open wound, as Fam healed an injury Ihrie had gotten while charging.  
  
The demon shrieked. He knew he was dying. As he exploded, Lyle and the others shielded their eyes from the light. Soon, there was nothing left of the Demon of Corruption.  
  
"We won Lyle. But there is still one more task," said Rasha. She grabbed Sargus, and drew the blade. Before Lyle could do anything, she'd stabbed herself in the chest.  
  
Lyle asked her, "Rasha, why did you do something like that."  
  
The woman tried to find the words as her world went dark. "We've defeated the Sinistraels, but as long as I exist, they will just keep coming back again and again. I don't want you to have to fight for the rest of your life. Think of it as a way of saying sorry for stealing the sword when I let my memories control me. But before I go, I have to tell you something. I love you Lyle. I love you more than life itself. That is why. . .why I could do this so easily. I was happier in the short time I was Rasha, than the eternity I was Rahashina. Goodbye, my love."  
  
Suddenly, the whole fortress began to shake. Lyle wanted to stay and die with Rasha, just like Maxim had done. But Fam and Ihrie grabbed him and pulled him back. The only thing that escaped his lips as they teleported back to their ship, was her name.  
  
- - - -  
  
That was so sad. Luckily, I knew it was coming and didn't cry my eyes out when I played the game. Of course, Lufia II's ending made me cry. How was I to know they'd show Tia and Jeros like that? Well, anyway, we have an epilogue coming next. It's what happens a year after the fateful fight. Oh, and for those of you who want to picture the demon, just picture the one Rugudorull summoned during the battle, when Ihrie attacked it with its reflection. Or for Lufia players, just picture Guard Daos in its place. 


	30. A Friend Restored

A Friend Restored  
  
After the battle, Ihrie flew Falcon to Lorbenia, as Lyle was a little out of it. They'd all decided to room together, just the four of them. But shortly after returning, Lyle and Falcon both disappeared, and hasn't been seen by the other three warriors ever since. Most likely, he wanted to see the new world.  
  
"Hard to believe a whole year has gone by," Migel stated, "Seems like only yesterday that I met Lyle and Rasha in Treck, and volunteered to help them on their quest."  
  
The three were sitting on the docks looking out over the ocean. It was a place one would go if they wanted to reflect on something. A place Migel and Ihrie went very often.  
  
"Yeah, It is kind of strange how life works some times. You know after living here for a whole year, you're not as bad as when we first met, and you called me a boy," Ihrie stated.  
  
Fam thought, 'Those two are acting almost like lovebirds now. I remember them trying to take each other's heads off, and fighting over every last scrap of food on the table.'  
  
Migel looked at her. "Do you wonder where Lyle is now? Or what he's doing?"  
  
"He'll be back one day," Ihrie told him, "After all, the party we planned for our anniversary is coming up next week. You know Lyle won't miss that. Good thing we told him about it before he left."  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Lyle was in Arus. He walked over to the Priphea fields, and started making flower chains. The young man thought back to Rasha, and how much she liked these flowers.  
  
'First my parents, then Meria, and now Rasha. All of them died, and I could do nothing to save their lives. Why do I always lose the ones I love?' he wondered.  
  
A voice from above asked him, "Are you a traveler? I was wondering if you would tell me about the outside world. You see, I live here with my grandfather, who's teaching me magic. But I was in an accident, and lost my memory. So I don't know anything about even the place I was born."  
  
Lyle turned around. There, he saw a girl with blond hair and blue eyes. But her face, the hairstyle, and even her clothing matched Rasha's. The only difference was a blue cape held on to her armor by two sapphire clips. But that was impossible, Rasha was dead.  
  
Lyle knew he wouldn't get anywhere but he just had to ask. "What is your name Miss?"  
  
"My name is Rasha," she replied, "What is yours, young traveler?"  
  
"Lyle Rehbart Reon. I am on a journey around the world, to see all that I can before returning to my homeland. After that, I want to join the army," he admitted.  
  
Rasha called, "Grandfather, we have a guest."  
  
Flake came out of his house. "Well boy, there's not much here, but welcome to our village. Please, don't mind Rasha too much. She's just not used to being around people her own age."  
  
"I don't mind," he replied, "I would be happy to tell her of my travels if she wants."  
  
"Thank you Lyle. Then I'll go make some Cinnamon Pie and Tea," Rasha stated.  
  
Flake stated, "You never make Cinnamon Pie and Tea. It must be because of Lyle."  
  
Rasha sounded a little insulted. "I make it for you and your friends sometimes too."  
  
"It's ok Rasha," Flake informed her, "You see my friends and I every day. We're also a lot older than you. But Lyle is your own age, and a new face for you to talk to. I don't mind."  
  
"I'll go and make you that tea now. Hope you like it Lyle," she said.  
  
She ran inside. Lyle watched her go, wondering what had happened. He turned to Flake and asked him, "Is it really her? I thought she had died when Doom Island fell."  
  
Flake nodded. "We found her on the beach, barely alive. She recovered completely, but had no memory of her past. Or magic. It's just as well, she doesn't need the burden on her soul. She can always re-learn her spells, I am working towards that at the moment."  
  
"I'm just happy to see her alive," Lyle said, "We can go back to being friends again."  
  
"But she won't remember you, or your past together," reminded Flake.  
  
Lyle told the elder, "That is ok with me. Just as long as she is still alive. We can make new memories together, starting today. I will stay here with her to work towards that goal."  
  
Rasha came back outside. "Grandfather, Lyle, the tea is ready. But the pie has to wait a little longer to cook. Come inside so you can drink your tea before it gets cold."  
  
* * *  
  
Lyle stayed in Arus for several days. All the time he spent with Rasha was doing him a world of good. No longer was he standing around depressed. Instead, he was telling her all about the places he had traveled, and the adventures he had gone on. Leaving out her involvement of course.  
  
"Lyle?" Rasha asked, "Will you stay here with me forever? I don't want to be alone again."  
  
"Well, I have to go to a party tomorrow. My friends are holding a one-year anniversary of the day that we destroyed Doom Island. How about you come along? You can meet my friends, get out of the village for a day or two, and maybe I'll take you to Lorbenia's mall," Lyle requested. He knew how the others might react to seeing her, all one hundred and one ways.  
  
Rasha said, "I can ask my grandfather. But I'm sure he'll let me go."  
  
Flake was more than happy to allow Rasha to get out of the village for a day. He knew how hard it was, not having anyone her own age to talk to. If she could re-meet her friends, she might find the happiness that she had lost after her fall from Doom Island.  
  
So the next day, the duo saddled up Falcon, and headed for Lorbenia. Lyle told Rasha that she should wait outside while he talked to his friends about what was going on. That way, nobody jumped her when she entered the room. It was the only way he could make sure not to cause physical harm to her. After all, the worst harm might be her remembering her true identity.  
  
- - - -  
  
I'm well aware that the party wasn't in the original script. I'm adding what happened after Max and Lufia re-met. The game left it off, which is good for fanfic writers but not good for a fic with a resolution. We're only one chapter away from the end now. So stay tuned. 


	31. Love's Memories

Love's Memories  
  
The next day, the duo arrived in Lorbenia. Lyle asked Rasha to wait outside of the house while he went inside. She agreed, and he went to talk to his friends.  
  
"Lyle, we were worried," Fam admitted, "You ran off without telling us what was up."  
  
"Never mind that, just give us the dirt. Where were you for all these months?" Ihrie inquired.  
  
So Lyle told them all about his travels, giving great attention to his trip to Arus, and the fact that Rasha was alive. He told them, "I want you to pretend you're meeting her for the first time. If she finds out who she really is again, she might try to kill herself again. I lost her once, I won't lose her again."  
  
Ihrie nodded. "You can count on us. Right Fam, Migel?"  
  
Fam nodded as well. You can tell she didn't really want to have to agree with Rasha, but she didn't want to harm her either. She was too gentle a soul to try and do something that would cause great emotional trauma to another person, no matter who that person happened to be.  
  
"Are you sure she won't go crazy again?" asked Migel, "I mean, she is Rahashina."  
  
"No, I'm not 100 percent sure. But all I know is that Rasha has no memory of what happened, or of us. There is a chance that Sargus did something to her in order to both protect the world from the Sinistraels and save her life. I don't know what that is, but I am willing to give her a chance," Lyle replied.  
  
Migel was about to say something, but decided against it at the last minute when he saw Ihrie glaring. He didn't know why he let these girls walk all over him. He'd let Rasha because he was afraid of her blasting him. But Ihrie wouldn't do that, least she turn into a mouse again. There was just a certain appeal to her that he hadn't found in any other woman. Maybe that was why they'd become a couple in the past year. Well, Fam's matchmaker scheme could have something to do with it too.  
  
Finally, Rasha was allowed to come in. She introduced herself, and then asked for their names. One by one, Lyle's companions gave their names, and the party was on.  
  
But sometime later, Rasha began to feel uncomfortable. The four had shared such an incredible adventure together, and had so many stories to tell. She, on the other hand, had lost her memory after the boat she was on crashed near Arus, and her parents had been killed. Rasha could only dream about the places Lyle and his friends had seen, and imagine the adventures they had.  
  
Rasha thought, 'If only I had gone on an adventure like that. I would love to have something to brag about besides my little abilities in the kitchen, and slight magical powers.'  
  
Fam began telling her about the time that the gargoyle had captured her, and Ihrie had tried to attack with her magic. "You see, Ihrie has this curse, where she turns into a mouse whenever she uses her magic. So she cast a spell on the demon, and poof, she became a mouse. She landed on my shoulder, and we had the monster laughing so hard that Migel killed it rather easily."  
  
"Mouse, did you say mouse?" asked Rasha, "Please, don't do any magic in front of me then. I'm scared of mice. I spent all last winter hiding from the ones that snuck into the house."  
  
"Some things never change, right Ihrie?" inquired Fam, forgetting Rasha didn't remember.  
  
At that moment, Rasha began feeling twice as silly. Why had Fam said that? Rather yet, why did she have the feeling she's seen a curse like Ihrie's before? Could the group have come to her hometown while on their travels, and she'd talked with them a little bit? But it seemed like it was something much more than that, some deeper connection that she couldn't explain.  
  
Rasha politely excused herself, and went outside to sit on the docks. She asked herself, 'What is going on with me? Why do I feel like these people are important to me? Just who am I?"  
  
Suddenly, a woman's ghost appeared. She had on a white sundress with gold arm cuffs and sandals on her feet. Her necklace was made of round onyx beads with some golden tooth shaped ones that were situated so that they lay on her shoulders. But her facial features were strange, with pointed ears, and blue eyes shaped like that of a demon. And the hair on her head matched Rasha's.  
  
The woman looked at the girl. "Rasha, listen closely. I am Rahashina, the Sinistrael of Death."  
  
"Sinistrael of Death!" exclaimed Rasha, "What do you want with me?"  
  
"I want to help you. You have forgotten yourself, and your true purpose," she replied.  
  
Rasha asked, "Who am I? Why have you come to me? Death has no reason to help the living."  
  
Rahashina's eyes fixed on the sorceress. "You are me, as a human. A hundred years ago, I fell in love with Maxim, while I was testing to see how humans could stand against Super Beings such as Sinistraels. It was so strong, that I betrayed my nature to save his son. After that, I wished to be human. It was granted, and I was born to human parents, seventeen years ago."  
  
"As me, right?" Rasha whispered, "But what happened to me then to make me forget?"  
  
"My powers were still active, and my brothers came back to life. Lyle and his friends went up against them, and you had come along, as Lyle was your childhood friend. But once the battle was won, you thought that you could kill yourself to stop it from happening again. Sargus refused to destroy one who cared more about her friends than herself, so she split us into two beings. I returned to my spirit body, and will have to petition for a new existence again. But you were stripped of your memories and given back your life. Now, I will help you remember who you are. It's the least I can do, for you have shown me such a happy life as a human," Rahashina stated.  
  
Rasha closed her eyes. She remembered the demons slaughtering her human parents, hoping to get to her. She remembered her foster father, who died of a disease when she was seven. She remembered her childhood with Lyle and Meria, as well as Meria's tragic death. She remembered all of the adventures Lyle and the others had taken her on. And she remembered how she had given up her life, hoping to spare Lyle from another fight with the Sinistraels. The chants for all her spells, the strength she had gained, all of it returned to her, making her the feared sorceress once again.  
  
* * *  
  
Lyle went out to find her shortly after that. He saw the young sorceress sitting by the docks, looking at herself in the water. The youth asked, "Rasha, are you ok?"  
  
She turned to him and smiled. "I'm more than ok Lyle. I can remember my past. The spirit of Rahashina came to me, and told me about how she only wanted to be a normal human. Then, she gave me back my memories. I can remember our childhood together."  
  
"Does that mean you remember what you said to me in Doom Island?" Lyle inquired, "Because I wanted to say that I feel the same way about you too."  
  
Rasha's eyes brightened. She ran towards Lyle, and fell into his arms. Then, they kissed. That lasted a good five minutes, until they heard Fam calling out for the two of them to come back inside.  
  
- - - -  
  
I'll put the thank yous up now. First, to Taito for the story. Second, to whoever made Ruin Explorers for the characters. Third, to the many variety sites that got me into Slayers, as I got interested in RE through watching the ads on my Slayers OAVs. Finally, to my good friends Carolyn and Suzie, who got me into Lufia. 


End file.
